Hollowed Be Thy Name
by Pastasaurus
Summary: A hero. A lover. A betrayer. He, who is the strongest of Hollows. He, who united a once savage race. He, who shall crush his enemies and protect his loved ones with the fiercest of passions. He is Ichigo Kurosaki, a Beast of War, the Primera Espada... The King of Hollows. Rated M for Violence, Coarse Language and Sexual Material
1. And So Falls The Blade Of Fate

Chapter One – And So Falls The Blade Of Fate…

 **A/N; This is my second Fanfic, which shall now be considered my main story (until I get ideas for my first one). Updates will be a little slow, but I hope to do at least one chapter a month, if not two a month. As for the start of this story, I have taken it from Canon Material and altered it slightly to fit with the plot. Most ideas/events in this story will touch on Canon Material, but this part is the only bit that has been fully copied from the Anime. However it will take some time to get into the guts of the story. Think of the first scene here as a Prologue, and the story will take place in a past setting until I come full circle and reach this point again, in which the story shall continue. Please enjoy.**

* * *

"This is the end…" Head Captain Yamamoto declared.

"What, did you say something?" Aizen asked, looking at the Head Captain.

"Don't you understand, Sōsuke Aizen? There is no place left for you. No place you can escape to." Head Captain Yamamoto answered, as all the Captains and Lieutenants of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads arrived on top of Sōkyoku Hill.

"Captain Aizen, how could you?" Tetsuzaemon asked.

All the Captains and Lieutenants were now all looking at the three traitorous Captains, who had all been captured. Shūhei had apprehended Tōsen, Rangiku had hold of Gin, and Soifon had Aizen in her grasp.

Even with a blade against his throat, Aizen kept his cool and let out a humourless chuckle.

"And just what is so funny?" The Head Captain asked, raising an eyebrow as Aizen's peculiar response.

"I'm sorry to do this, but the time has come." He replied, causing the Head Captain's eyes to widen in realisation of what Aizen meant.

"Captain Soifon, get away from him!" He shouted, causing Soifon to release her hold on Aizen and jump back, seconds before the sky above Sōkyoku Hill ripped open, a seething mass of Gillans spilling forth, along with a golden light that covered Aizen.

"That's not… It's impossible!" Captain Kyōraku said in disbelief as he watched the scene before him unfold.

"It's Menos Grande!" Soifon said, looking up at the seething black mass that was spewing out from the maw in the sky.

"The Gillians?! How many of them are coming through?!" Ōmaeda exclaimed.

"No, wait, it looks like there's something else in there!" Shūhei said as he saw something that looked like a massive eye behind the clutch of Gillians.

A few seconds later, two more beams of light shot down from the sky, one aimed at Captain Tōsen and another aimed at Captain Ichimaru. Both Shūhei and Rangiku released their respective captives just before they were engulfed in the light.

"Well, that's a bit of a let-down. I was enjoying that. I wouldn't have minded being your captive a little longer." Gin said after Rangiku had released her hold on him. He turned to face the strawberry-blonde Lieutenant, a sad look on his face. "So long, Rangiku. Maybe next time."

No sooner had those words left his mouth; the earth beneath him and the other two Captains was ripped out of the ground as they all began to float up towards the sky and into the hole above them.

"You're just going to run away? That's it?!" Tetsuzaemon yelled out, pulling out his Zanpakutō, preparing to charge in and attack.

"Stop!" Head Captain Yamamoto yelled.

"Head Captain, sir?" He asked, turning to look at the aged Soul Reaper.

"That light is a weapon, with the name of _Negación_. It is a technique the Menos use when they are rescuing their fellow Hollows. Once enveloped by that light, it is impossible for those within and without to interact. It is an isolated world inside the beams. All those who have fought the Menos know it well. Once that light fell on Sōsuke Aizen, it became impossible for us to reach him." The Head Captain explained as everyone present watched in awe as the three traitors ascended into the sky.

"Rrrraaaaggggghhhh!" Growled Captain Komamura, as his giant fist smashed into the earth, creating a small crater. "Kaname! Come back, Kaname!" He roared looking to the man he had called 'friend' all these years. "Have you forgotten? You once told me why you became a Soul Reaper! Wasn't it for your friend who lost their life? Wasn't it to carry out your justice? Where is your sense of justice now, because I don't see it!"

"I thought I made it clear to you; these eyes can only see one path and that is the path with the least amount of blood. Justice is always there, and the path I follow _is_ justice." Tōsen replied.

"Argh, Kaname…" Komamura said in disbelief.

"So, you have joined with the Menos… Why would you do that?" The Head Captain asked as he looked at Aizen.

"I need to keep reaching higher." Aizen replied simply.

"Have you become that corrupt?" Yamamoto questioned.

"You're blinded by your self-righteousness. From the beginning, no-one has ever stood at the top. Neither you, nor me, nor the Gods…" Aizen stated as he took his glasses off and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back. "But soon, that unattainable vacancy at the top will be fulfilled. From now on, I alone will stand at the top." He stated with finality as all the Soul Reapers gazed upon his new look. "Goodbye, Soul Reapers."

"Do not think you have won so easily, Sōsuke Aizen!" Yamamoto declared. "You think the Thirteen Court Guard Squads will sit idly by and allow you to succeed? We will stop you!"

"My, my… You are indeed blinded by your self-righteousness, Genryūsai Yamamoto." Aizen stated, looking back at the Head Captain with a slight grin on his face as he watched what was about to unfold.

Yamamoto was about to reply until he found the words die in his throat. The only thing that came out of his mouth was blood. He looked down at his chest, and saw a long, black blade sticking out of his chest, where his heart should have been. With a slight gasp, he collapsed to his knees, dropping his cane, causing everyone to look over at him in disbelief.

"No… That… That's not possible!" Captain Kyōraku gasped as he watched his mentor fall to the ground.

"Head Captain!" Soifon yelled out.

"How could you do something like this?! Don't tell me you've thrown in with that bastard Aizen too!" Roared Komamura, as he looked at the man who had just pierced the heart of the Head Captain.

The response that came from the assassin was a twisted, evil laugh.

"Answer me! Captain Kurosaki!" Komamura bellowed, looking at the man standing over the body of Yamamoto.

Captain Ichigo Kurosaki looked up and everyone who gazed upon his face was filled with horror and shock. Half of Ichigo's face was covered in a Hollow mask. The sclera of both his eyes were as black as his Zanpakutō, while his irises were gold.

"For all your self-righteousness and damnable superiority you thought you held over the Hollows, not once did any of you think a Hollow was present among you, especially not one of your precious Captains." Ichigo cackled, his voice distorted by his Hollowfication. "Now that your beloved Head Captain is gone, you cannot hope to defeat Captain Aizen, or the Hollows!"

After he had finished speaking, several Soul Reapers lunged at Ichigo, in an attempt to exact revenge on the man who killed the Head Captain, but were subsequently stopped when he too was also immersed by the light of _Negación_.

All the Soul Reapers watched in horror as the four Captains ascended into the sky and were swallowed up by the hole the Gillans had opened. The last thing the four men heard before the rift was sealed was Shunsui shouting "Someone get Captain Unohana, now!"

* * *

Ichigo Kurosaki was just your everyday normal teenager. He went to school, hung out with friends, played sports and studied for tests. Despite the fact he had been able to see spirits from a young age, he was about as normal as anyone else at his school. _Was_.

Unfortunately, Ichigo Kurosaki died at the age of fifteen. He was walking home from school one day when a driver of a car was texting on his phone and wasn't watching to road. He hit Ichigo, killing him instantly.

Upon death, his soul left his body and he began to wander around Karakura Town, trying to understand what happened to him and why no-one could see or hear him when he asked for help.

It wasn't long before he was approached by someone that _could_ see him. Someone who wore a black robe and carried a sword with them.

"Hey, you there! Can you help me?" Ichigo asked as the man walked up to him. Ichigo noticed he had a large afro.

"Ah, so I've finally found you." He said, looking directly at Ichigo.

"Finally! Someone who will listen to me! Look, can you help me? I've tried asking other people, but they act like I don't exist." He said.

"That's because they can't see you, kid. You're dead." The man replied, nodding his head.

"I'm _what_?!" Ichigo shouted.

"You're dead, kid. How many times must I say it?" He asked, sounding annoyed at the fact he had to repeat himself.

"I can't be dead! I mean, I was just on my way home from school when…" Ichigo trailed off, when he remembered the car that was heading right for him. "No… It can't be…" He whispered in disbelief.

"Yep, you're dead. Sorry, kid." The man said as he took out his sword.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a second!" Ichigo yelled out, jumping back a holding his hands up. "Let's not do anything rash here!"

"Shut up, kid! I'm doing my job. I'm going to cleanse your soul so that you can pass over to the Soul Society." He snapped, as he lifted his sword up into the air.

"What? Your job? _This_ is your job? Just what do you do, and what is this 'Soul Society' anyway?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

The man sighed and lowered his sword so he could explain himself to Ichigo.

"Look, kid, my name is Zennosuke Kurumadani and I am a Soul Reaper!" He said, holding his thumb up and grinning at Ichigo proudly.

"You're a what?" Ichigo asked.

"A Soul Reaper! I'm an elite warrior who saves spirits like you from the evil Hollows that want to eat you!" He chuckled to himself, clearly proud of himself.

"You're an elite warrior? You don't look that 'elite' to me." Ichigo deadpanned.

"Shut up kid! Gah, why do all the kids have to give me sass?" Kurumadani sighed as he raised his sword once more.

"Just what are you going to do with that?" Ichigo asked, pointing to the sword.

"You mean my Zanpakutō? I'm going to use it to help you pass over to the Soul Society." He said.

"Your Zanpak-wha? How's a sword going to help me pass over, and you still haven't told me what this 'Soul Society' is." Ichigo stated, receiving an exasperated sigh from the afro-haired Soul Reaper.

"Ok, strap yourself in, as I'll give you a crash course on who Soul Reapers are and what the Soul Society is." Kurumadani said. "The Soul Society is a place where all souls pass over to when they die. A Soul Reaper is a warrior that protects human souls from being eaten by Hollows, souls that have lost their hearts and become monsters. Any soul who has enough spiritual pressure can become a Soul Reaper, and by the amount of spiritual pressure I'm sensing from you, I'd say you'd make a decent Soul Reaper. Maybe not as good as yours truly, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't make for a good Soul Reaper." Kurumadani said, giving Ichigo a thumbs up.

"Uhh, right… So, the sword?" Ichigo asked, pointing to Kurumadani's Zanpakutō.

"Oh, right. This here is my Zanpakutō! It allows me to perform Konsō on Human souls and cleanse the sins a soul committed as a Hollow. Now, if there are no more questions, can I do my job and help you pass over?" Kurumadani asked, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Yeah, yeah, do what you gotta do, uhh… Imoyama, was it?" Ichigo asked, scratching the back of his head.

" _Imoyama_?! Look, kid, the name's Zennosuke Kurumadani and don't you forget that! Now, let's do this thing!" He shouted, tapping Ichigo on the forehead with the pommel of his Zanpakutō, causing Ichigo's soul to begin to break down and turn into spirit particles as his soul began to cross over. "See you on the other side, kid." Kurumadani grinned, once again giving him a thumbs up.

"See ya around… Imoyama." Ichigo said, grinning as the last of his soul disappeared and headed to the Soul Society.

"Dammit, kid! I told you, my name is Kurumadani! Zennosuke Kurumadani! Don't you forget it – Ah, to hell with it, he's already gone." Kurumadani sighed as he sheathed his Zanpakutō and walked away.

* * *

"Ah, it would appear he is on his way to the Soul Society. Perhaps this will work out better for me in the long run." A man with shaggy brown hair said to himself as he watched the soul of Ichigo Kurosaki pass over to the Soul Society through a monitor.

"Hmm, what was that, Captain Aizen?" A man with silver hair and a perpetual grin on his face asked the man looking at the monitor.

"Well, Gin, it would appear Ichigo Kurosaki is on his way to us right this very moment. I believe this will be easier for my plans, as he is at the centre of it all." Aizen replied, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Oh, how do you figure that?" Gin asked, growing even more curious than he was before.

"It's very simple, it's no secret that the boy has amazing levels of spirit energy for someone his age, and the fact he has a mix of Soul Reaper, Hollow _and_ Quincy powers means he's a very special case indeed. I believe he will be a valuable asset to our cause." Aizen remarked as he got up out of his seat and left the room he was in, followed by Gin.

"I'm afraid I don't follow. I get it, he's got the potential to become very strong, but how would that help us? Can you even be sure he'd ally with us?" Gin said, raising an eyebrow.

"All will be revealed in time, but for now just know this… No matter how this plays out, I can assure you; Ichigo Kurosaki will become our ally." Aizen stated as he made his way out into the Seireitei. "Gin, would you mind going to fetch Kaname for me? I have a job for him."

Without a word, Gin vanished via flash step to go find Captain Tōsen, leaving Aizen to his thoughts as he wandered the maze-like streets that formed the Seireitei as he made his way back to his quarters.

 _While it might take me more time than I had first anticipated to locate Kisuke Urahara and the Hōgyoku, it is very likely this will work much better than having Ichigo as an enemy… Maybe this way, I can use his powers to my advantage._ Aizen thought as he continued to walk through the streets, until he heard the familiar sound of flash step and knew Gin had returned with Kaname.

"You asked to see me, Captain Aizen, sir?" Kaname asked, bowing his head slightly.

"Indeed, tell me Kaname; do you still have contacts within Squad Two and the Stealth Force?" Aizen asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Of course, sir. What is it you need?" Kaname asked.

"I need your contacts to head out into the Rukon District and look for Ichigo Kurosaki. Normally, I wouldn't bother, as I'd do it myself, but I have too much work and it would look rather strange if a Captain was wandering the Rukon, don't you agree? Oh, before you go; give your men this picture, so they know who to look for. I can't take any chances in there being more than one citizen from the Rukon with orange hair." Aizen said, handing a picture of Ichigo to Kaname.

"I understand. I'll go and have the men search for him right now." Kaname bowed his head one last time before taking his leave with flash step.

"Ah, Kaname, you are a good subordinate." Aizen said, nodding his head. "Come along, Gin. We have much to plan for when Ichigo is brought to us…"

* * *

Kaname arrived outside the barracks of Squad Two and made his way inside, towards the training grounds. While he didn't know the schedule of the Stealth Force, or his contacts within its ranks, he did know that Captain Soifon was a hard taskmaster and would likely have them running basic drills in the training grounds.

He had found the training grounds easily enough and began to observe the men that were currently training. While he was blind, he was still able to see each man through their spiritual pressure and could tell each one was pushing themselves to their absolute limits.

"What are you doing here, Tōsen? Last I checked, this wasn't Squad Nine." A voice said from behind the blind man. He knew exactly who it was and turned around to greet them.

"Good day, Captain Soifon. I am well aware this isn't my own barracks. I was actually hoping I could request a few of your men to perform a simple task for me." Kaname stated, bowing out of respect to the petite Captain standing before him.

"Oh, and just what task would that be?" Soifon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I believe a few of my men have been shirking their responsibilities in favour of going into some of the poorer districts of the Rukon to get drunk and hassle a few residents there for so called 'protection money' and the very idea disgusts me. I wish to seek justice and have these men reprimanded for their transgressions." He lied, as he wasn't about to tell Soifon what the true nature of his visit and request to commandeer a few of her soldiers.

"Very well, I'll accept this request. Though I expect a favour in return, one which I shall collect when I believe the time is right." Soifon stated, earning a nod from the blind Captain.

"I can agree to your terms, Captain Soifon. Would it be alright if I were to pick the men myself? I have worked with quite a few of your men in the past and know exactly who would be ideal for this job." He asked.

"Do you not trust my judgement on the matter? Do you not think I know my men better than anyone else in the Soul Society?" Soifon asked, sounded irritated.

"Please forgive me, Captain Soifon, I meant no disrespect." Kaname said, bowing his head in apology.

"Alright, I'll let it slide… This time. But only because the favour I want from you is very important and rather large." Soifon stated. "I'm going back to my office; go ahead and pick the men you wish to dispatch and if my fool of a Lieutenant so much as questions your actions, feel free to give him beating, or come and tell me and I shall do it myself. That imbecile thinks he can do as he pleases, simply because I picked him to be my Lieutenant. He's so dense that he doesn't even know I'm just using him for his money, much like _she_ did with his father." Soifon growled as she walked away, mumbling the last bit to herself as she left.

Kaname simply shook his head as he went to find his contacts within the Stealth Force. They were easy to find. When they weren't training, they would always sit under a large tree that was in the centre of the barracks, which had been planted by the previous Captain before her disappearance over 100 years ago. Though, Kaname was well aware of how and why the previous Captain had left.

Kaname arrived at the large tree in the middle of the barracks and could sense the spiritual pressure of the three men he was seeking. He walked over to them and cleared his throat, a sign to get their attention.

"Captain Tōsen, sir! How may we be of assistance to you, sir?!" The three men all shouted in unison, bowing as they spoke.

"I have a request for you. I need you to head into the Rukon District and find this boy." Kaname said as he handed one of the men the picture of Ichigo that Aizen had given him.

"At once, sir! What shall we do when we find him?" One man, who was clearly the leader of the three men asked.

"You shall report to me and tell me of his location. I shall handle it from there." Kaname stated before he spoke again, knowing what the men were going to ask. "I understand this will take time; sifting through 320 districts in the Rukon will be tasking, but that's why I've come to you three. Do not disappoint me."

"Sir!" The three men all bowed in unison before leaving the area with a flash step. Kaname simply turned around and left the Squad Two Barracks.

* * *

"Hey, mister. Are you alright, mister?" A voice spoke, though it sounded very far away. Ichigo mumbled something incoherent and opened his eyes and saw a child standing over him.

"Huh? Wha–? Where am I?" Ichigo asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He took in his surroundings and saw he was on the bank of a river, lying on the grass.

"You're in South Rukon District 78; Hanging Dog. Are you sure you're alright, mister?" The child said, looking at Ichigo.

Ichigo looked back at the child and noticed his bright red hair that was tied up in a small, spiky ponytail. He was wearing a dirty, ragged brown kimono-like garment and was barefoot. The child had a slight look of concern, but Ichigo noticed something else in his eyes, a look a mild trepidation.

"South Rukon? Hanging Dog? What…? Oh, that's right… I died." Ichigo said sadly as he remembered the events that occurred prior to him waking up here. With that, Ichigo stood up and began to stretch his limbs. "So, kid, just who are you?" Ichigo asked casually, causing the child to become startled.

"Aah! M-my name is Renji Abarai, sir! I'm sorry if I have troubled you!" He said shakily, bowing in apology.

"Whoa, whoa, chill. What's got you so worked up? I only asked who you are, no need to freak out." Ichigo sighed.

"But… I disturbed your nap, didn't I? Aren't you mad at me?" Renji asked.

"Nap? Look, kid, I don't know why anyone would be angry at you for waking them up, but I wasn't napping and I have no idea where I am." Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head and taking in his surroundings.

"Well, like I said; you're in South Rukon District 78, also known as Hanging Dog. All the grown-ups here are mean and treat us kids like we're crap. It's just not fair." Renji grumbled.

"Uh-huh… So, this 'Rukon District'… I'm guessing it's part of the Soul Society." Ichigo asked, getting a weird look from Renji.

"Y-yeah, that's right. So, that must mean you're new here, huh?" Renji asked.

"Yeah, that's right. I died on my way home from school and was sent here by a Soul Reaper called… Um, Imoyama? Eh, he had a giant afro, so he shouldn't be too hard to recognise." Ichigo said to himself more than Renji, earning a wide-eyed look from the red headed child.

"Whooooooa! You remember how you died and how you got here?! That's amazing!" Renji said in awe.

"Is it? I thought everyone knew how they died and ended up here." Ichigo replied.

"No way, very few people can only remember the year and place they died. Others can't remember anything. I don't think I've ever met anyone who could remember _everything_ , including the Soul Reaper who sent you here! C'mon, you need to meet the rest of my friends!" Renji exclaimed, grabbing Ichigo's hand and dragging him up the hill away from the riverbank and towards the shacks that made up the houses of Hanging Dog.

"Hey, wait a minute, kid! What are you doing?! Can't we at least get something to eat first? I'm freaking starving here!" Ichigo protested, causing Renji to stop dead in his tracks and look back at him with saucer-like eyes. "Uhh, are you ok?"

"You're starving? Already?" Renji breathed in disbelief.

"Yeah, why is that such a big deal? People get hungry, so they eat." Ichigo replied casually.

"Not in the Rukon District. Here, the souls of the people that have died never go hungry, because they don't have any spirit energy. If you woke up here starving, you must have immense levels of spirit energy." Renji stated.

"How do you figure that?" Ichigo asked.

"C'mon, I'll tell you while we walk." Renji said, motioning for Ichigo to follow, which he did so. "Y'see, when the soul arrives in the Soul Society, it requires large reserves of spirit energy for the soul to materialise out of the reishi that is present in the air. Reishi is spirit particles that make up everything in the Soul Society."

"Uh… Huh… Reishi… I get it?" Ichigo said, clearly having no idea what Renji meant.

"Put it this way; in order for the soul to manifest in the Soul Society, it requires a large amount of spirit energy. The Konsō that a Soul Reaper performs imbues the soul with a portion of their energy to make manifestation easier upon arrival. However, most souls don't have lots of spirit energy to begin with, so when they manifest, it takes a long time and when they wake up they aren't hungry as any and all spirit energy has been bled dry by the reishi in the atmosphere that they used to arrive. Whereas those who do have spirit energy unconsciously use it to help increase the speed in which manifestation happens. Since you manifested and were already starving, it's safe to assume you had a crap-ton of spirit energy to start with." Renji explained as they walked down one of the many streets.

"Right, and what does that mean for me, exactly?" Ichigo asked, now understanding what Renji was telling him.

"It means you'd make a great Soul Reaper one day! I want to be one too, but I only have a little bit of spirit energy. It'd probably be enough to get me into the academy, but I don't think I'd ever become a seated officer…" Renji said dejectedly.

"Not with that attitude you won't!" Ichigo said sternly. "The way I see it, this spirit energy is the basis of strength for the soul; its power, right?" He asked, getting a confused nod from Renji. "Well, anything that a power or strength within you can be trained and enhanced. All you gotta do is keep working hard and try to find a way to increase your power!" Ichigo declared with determination, which seemed to fire Renji up.

"Yeah you're right, mister!" Renji said, clenching one of his fists together in determination.

"You can stop calling me 'mister'. My name is Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo said, looking down at the red head and smiling.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, huh?" Renji repeated the name to see what it sounded like when he said it. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Ichigo! I hope you're ready to meet the rest of the gang!" He said, grinning as they approached a small shack with a cloth curtain as a makeshift door.

"You have a gang?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, it's just my four friends, but we do what we can to survive here, which usually means pissing off some of the adults and stealing from them." Renji said, shrugging.

 _Well, that explains why he flipped out when I asked him who he was._ _This kid has probably gotten on the bad side of every adult around here…_ Ichigo thought to himself as he was escorted, or rather he was pushed, inside the shack by Renji.

"Hey, you guys! You're not gonna believe this! This guy here just arrived in the Soul Society, and he remembers everything that happened to him after he died! He even has a huge amount of spirit energy!" Renji shouted causing all the people present to turn and look at Ichigo in awe, which kinda creeped him out.

"Whoa, you must be super strong and have lots of spirit energy if you remember everything that happened to you before coming here!" One kid with an afro said. Ichigo thought he looked a lot like Kurumadani, or Imoyama, in his case.

"Renji, are you sure? He doesn't look all that impressive to me, and besides, we'd be able to sense his spiritual pressure, like we can with the Soul Reapers, but I feel nothing from him." Another kid with spiky brown hair that covered his eyes and a scar on his left cheek said, causing Ichigo to scowl.

"Yeah, but that's because you suck at detecting spiritual pressure, Hiroshi." A third kid said. He had brown hair that was tied up in a similar fashion to Renji, albeit the ponytail was much smaller. He was much larger than the other kids, who were all skinny.

"Hey shut up, Kenta!" Hiroshi snapped, glaring at his friend, even though no-one could see his eyes under all that hair.

"Guys, knock it off. When have you ever known someone to make that stuff up when they've just arrived and know nothing about how things work here? He has to be telling the truth." The kid with the afro pointed out, causing Kenta to nod.

"You're absolutely right, Masaru. See, Hiroshi? Told you you suck at detecting spiritual pressure." Kenta said, grinning.

"Alright, alright, cut it out you three. Instead of bickering with each other like old ladies, how about you introduce yourselves to Ichigo." Renji said, effectively stopping another argument.

"Alright, I'll go first. My name is Masaru; nice to meet you." Masaru said, bowing in greeting.

"I'm Kenta. Happy to make your acquaintance." Kenta said with a polite wave.

"Hey, I'm Hiroshi. Nice to meet you or whatever…" Hiroshi mumbled, waving his hand in the air as if he couldn't care less about the current situation, only to receive a smack on the back of the head from Kenta. "Ow! What was that for, jerk?!" He shouted.

"You were rude to our guest. Where did you get your manners from, Zaraki?" Kenta admonished his spiky haired friend.

"C'mon, stop it. Seriously." Renji said in a stern voice, causing all three boys to fall silent.

"Hey, Renji, didn't you say there were four people you wanted me to meet? I only count three, unless you were including yourself in there as well." Ichigo said, looking from Renji to the three boys in front of him.

"Hey, you're right. Guys, where is– ?" Renji began to ask, only for him to be cut off midsentence.

"Up here!" A female voice called out from above the group. Looking up, Ichigo saw that the voice belonged to a girl with short black hair and dark blue eyes. She was standing up in the rafters of the shack, looking down and grinning happily at the group below her.

"What are you doing up there?" Renji asked.

"Eh, I heard you guys were coming back, so I thought I'd set up a little 'surprise' for you guys." The girl giggled.

"Uh-huh… And by 'surprise', you really mean 'ambush', don't you?" Renji questioned, inciting another round of giggling from the girl above the group. "Ah, well who cares about that. Come down here and meet our new friend!"

"'New friend'?" The girl asked as she gracefully leapt down off the wooden beam and landed like a cat before the group.

"Yeah, that's right. His name is Ichigo and if what he says is true, he's got a massive amount of spirit energy." Renji said with an impressed look on his face.

"Oh, really? How'd you figure that, Renji?" She asked.

"Well, when I found him, he told me he could remember his life back when he was alive, he remembered how he died and the Soul Reaper who sent him here, but that's not all; he said he was starving when he woke up too! If that doesn't scream 'massive spirit energy levels', I don't know what does." Renji stated.

"Hmm… So, you're Ichigo, huh? Well, I guess it's nice to meet you. My name is Rukia." The girl looked at Ichigo and smiled.

"Uhh, yeah, likewise. So, you must be the other person of this little group of Renji's?" Ichigo asked casually, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, that's right. Is that a problem?" Rukia asked, an edge of irritation evident in her voice.

"What? No, why would there be? If what Renji has told about this place, then it's actually impressive. Where I was from, adults were meant to look after kids and not treat them like dirt. I'm impressed that you five are trying to make a difference here." Ichigo said, smiling as she spoke.

"Six." Renji said causing Ichigo to look at him with confusion. "There are six of us now. You're gonna join us and help out and make this a fair place for everyone, right?" Renji asked; his eyes full of hope.

"Sure, why not? I've never liked it when grown-ups take advantage of kids and treat them like they don't matter, but I think we could do a whole lot better than just Hanging Dog…" Ichigo said, grinning as he began to stroke his chin in thought.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Renji asked.

"Well, if we're going to help make this place better for everyone, then we need to think big. Like, think outside Hanging Dog and to every district that is the same as this one." Ichigo replied, causing everyone to look at each other with uncertainty.

"Uhh, I don't know, Ichigo… That seems like a pretty tall order. I mean, we're only just doing enough here. I doubt we'd be able to make a change to the other 319 districts of Rukon." Rukia said.

"Oh, I see… Well, that's – Hold up. Did you just say 'the other 319 districts'?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah, there are 320 districts of Rukon. 80 in the North, East, South and West. That's 320 in total." Renji said.

"Holy crap… I had no idea this place was so big! So, where are we exactly?" Ichigo asked.

"South Rukon District 78. In other words; we're pretty far away from it all. I reckon it'd take us several days just to reach South Rukon District 59." Renji said, shrugging casually.

"S-s-several DAYS?!" Ichigo exclaimed, his mouth hanging open in shock. "Damn it, we really are far away from it all."

"Yep, the Soul Society is a pretty big place; the Seireitei itself is huge, but the Rukon District is massive. Then you've got the forests, ravines, mountain ranges…" Renji began to ramble.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it numbskull. Would you shut up already?" Rukia interjected, cutting Renji off mid-sentence.

"Alright, then what about this; why don't we travel to some of the other districts and look for people willing to help? We can set up some sort of network that allows us to help everyone who can't fend for themselves, and we don't have to wear ourselves out trying to do it?" Ichigo queried, eliciting smiles from Renji and his companions.

"You mean, like a… A _real_ gang?" Renji asked. He couldn't keep the awe and excitement out of his voice.

"Well, kind of. Except we will be doing good for the people, not evil… Well, good for those who need and deserve it, at least."

"I'm in!" Renji exclaimed without even giving it a second thought. "What about you guys?" He looked expectantly his four friends in front of him.

"We're in too! We can't let you guys have all the fun!" Kenta, Masaru and Hiroshi shouted together in excitement.

"What about you, Rukia? Are you keen to join our new gang?" Renji asked, looking at his female friend with pleading eyes.

"Looks like I haven't got much of a choice… Ah, what the hell; sounds like it could be fun!" She grinned and started giggling. "But don't even think about trying to give us codenames like last time, you dork!" She playfully hit Renji on the head.

"Hey, 'Red Warrior' is a cool codename! To hell with what you think!" Renji shot back in a joking manner, grinning as he did so.

"No way, Renji, your codenames suck. I vote we make Ichigo our leader so we don't get stuck with your crappy ideas!" Kenta said, causing everyone but Renji to start laughing.

"I suppose it would make sense, it was your idea after all, Ichigo. So, what do you say? Will you be our leader?" Renji asked, as he, Kenta, Masaru and Hiroshi looked at him expectantly.

"Yeah, sure, why not? It would be pretty stupid if this was my idea and I wasn't leading the charge for it. All right, you guys get some rest; we start tomorrow at dawn!" Ichigo declared, balling his hand into a fist at the word 'dawn'.

"Dawn? That's a little early isn't it? Can't we start a little later? Say, after lunch?" Renji asked, only to be whacked over the head by an annoyed Rukia.

"Idiot! The longer we put this off, the longer it's going to take to get anything done. Just how stupid are you?!" She growled, shaking a fist at Renji, who was cradling his head in pain.

"Alright, fine. Dawn it is…" He mumbled, causing the group to laugh at Renji's expense, once again.

* * *

"Excuse me, Head Captain; Captain Aizen is here and he wishes to speak with you." A man with short sliver hair and a thin handlebar moustache spoke as he appeared in the Head Captain's office by Flash Step, immediately bowing before his superior.

"Send him in, Lieutenant Sasakibe." Head Captain Yamamoto said calmly, but his voice was able to carry weight behind the order.

With a quick nod, Lieutenant Sasakibe made his way over to the large doors and began to open them. As the doors slowly opened, the figure of Captain Aizen stood there, before he began to make his way into the room.

"Good afternoon, Head Captain. I was wondering if – Oh. I wasn't aware you had company." Aizen stopped in his tracks and adjusted his glasses as he looked at the two men who were sat at a table with Head Captain Yamamoto, drinking tea before his arrival.

One man had long brown hair that was tied up in a loose hanging ponytail and had a couple of pinwheels threaded through his hair. He was wearing a wide brimmed straw hat that hid his eyes, but the lower half of his face, including his scruffy beard was still visible. Over the top of his white Captain's Coat he wore a pink, flowery kimono

The second man had long white hair that ran down the length of his back and reached his waist. He had emerald green eyes that had the same warmth as the smile he was giving Captain Aizen upon his arrival. He too, was wearing a white Captain's coat.

"Good afternoon, Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake. I hope I'm not interrupting." Aizen said bowing slightly to the three men before him.

"Nah, Jūshiro and I were just having some tea with Old Man Yama. Just a casual meeting between Master and Students." Captain Kyōraku explained, casually waving a hand dismissively.

"Yes, but it's getting late, Shunsui. I must head back to my Squad; there's a lot of paperwork I must do, and I still need to find someone to be my new Lieutenant." Captain Ukitake stood up and began to stretch his muscles. It was apparent they had been here for quite some time.

"Why don't you just ask Kaien to be you Lieutenant? He's hardworking, compassionate and everyone loves him. He'd be perfect for the role?" Captain Kyōraku asked, standing up and yawning slightly as he spoke.

"I've asked him many times before, but he seems reluctant to do so. He's been rather unsure of himself since his uncle vanished more than twenty years ago."

"I'm sure it's just down to stress of being the Head of the Shiba Clan. Kaien always looked up to Isshin, and when he vanished, he was the only one suited for the role as Head of the Clan. Maybe he's worried he won't be able to perform his duties as Lieutenant properly, due to his obligations as Shiba Clan Head, or vice versa?" Shunsui asked, before turning to the Head Captain. "Thanks for the tea, Old Man Yama. We should do this again soon."

"Yes, thank you, Master Genryūsai. It's always a pleasure to meet with you like this. Good day to you, Captain Aizen." Jūshiro bowed to his aged master, then to Aizen, before he and Captain Kyōraku headed to their respective destinations by way of Flash Step.

"I apologise for interrupting, Head Captain. I wasn't aware you were busy." Aizen remained where he was as he watched the Head Captain make his way to his desk and took his seat.

"It is of no importance. Captains Kyōraku, Ukitake and I were just about finished. Now, what is it you wished to speak to me about?" Yamamoto looked at Aizen, who remained motionless for a moment before he made his way over the balcony of the Head Captain's office that over looked the entire Seireitei.

"You can feel it, can't you?" Aizen said, giving nothing away, which caused the Head Captain to raise an eyebrow.

"If you're referring to that wild and untamed spiritual pressure that appeared a few hours ago, then yes, I can; it arrived shortly before Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake arrived here. They too commented on its power. For a normal human soul, it is most impressive."

"'Normal human soul'?" Aizen questioned, his gaze not leaving the horizon before him. "With respect, sir, that is no normal human soul. Who – or what – ever that soul is, it isn't normal, but someone with an incredible potential to be an unbelievable Soul Reaper."

"Whatever you have to say, Captain Aizen, just come out and say it." Yamamoto commanded, causing Aizen to break his gaze and turn to the aged Soul Reaper sat behind the large mahogany desk.

"I have come to suggest we seek out this soul and do whatever we can to make them a Soul Reaper. A being with _that_ kind of spirit energy would be an invaluable asset to us."

"We will do no such thing." Head Captain Yamamoto declared, almost immediately after Aizen finished speaking, which caused Aizen's eyes to widen considerably behind his glasses. "The duty of the Soul Reaper is to keep balance of souls in the World of the Living; we do not go out in search of new blood." The Head Captain held up a hand to keep Aizen from protesting. "While I appreciate that you have the best interests of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Soul Society in mind, it is not our job to recruit souls to our cause. It is up to them to decide if they want to join us, whether they are capable of doing so or not."

"With respect, Head Captain, perhaps we should put this to vote with the other Captains? I'm sure some will agree that we should make an exception in this case." Aizen said, keeping his voice even and calm.

The Head Captain sat in his large chair and mulled over Aizen's suggestions. His long fingers rapped on the top of his cane, a sign that he was deep in thought. After a few moments, he stood up and looked directly at Aizen.

"Very well. I shall put it to vote at a Captain's meeting, which shall commence tomorrow at noon. Keep in mind, Captain Aizen, this is a very unusual request, and were it not for your standing as both a Captain and a highly respected Officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, I would have never approved such a thing."

"Thank you, Head Captain." Aizen said, bowing.

"Unless there is anything else you wanted to discuss, you are dismissed." Yamamoto said, before he watched Aizen bow his head before quickly leaving the Head Captain's office with Flash Step. "Lieutenant Sasakibe!" Yamamoto boomed and a few seconds later, his ever faithful Lieutenant appeared by the doors to his office, bowed down on one knee.

"Yes, Head Captain?" Sasakibe said, raising his head to look at his Captain.

"Send a Hell Butterfly to all the Captains to notify them of the meeting tomorrow at noon." Yamamoto demanded.

"At once, sir!" Sasakibe said before leaving the Head Captain to perform his duty.

* * *

"Man, it should be illegal to be up _this_ early!" Renji moaned, as he rubbed his eyes to refocus his sight.

"Oh, quit your whinging, Renji. It's not even that early. It's only seven in the morning." Rukia admonished her red-headed friend.

"I didn't even know there was a seven in the morning." Kenta mumbled, earning his a whack on the head by Masaru.

"No-one asked you for your dumbass comments." He said, as Kenta rubbed the spot on his head where Masaru had hit him.

"Argh, you bastard! That hurt!" Kenta yelled, grinding his teeth in a mix of pain and anger.

"That was the point, you moron. Man, Masaru, I think you hit him _too_ hard." Hiroshi said, grinning as Kenta glared at him.

"Go to hell, you bast–" He began, before being interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Geez, I really can't leave you idiots alone for more than five minutes, can I?" Ichigo said, causing everyone to turn around and see the orange haired teen walking towards them.

"Good morning, Ichigo!" Kenta, Hiroshi and Masaru said in unison, bowing as they did so, causing Ichigo, Renji and Rukia to sweat drop.

"Uhh, yeah… Good morning. Ahem, well, it's good to see everyone is up and ready to head out. Now, before we go, is there anything that anyone wanted to ask?" Ichigo grinned at the group, clearly impressed that they were so willing to do this.

"Yeah, something occurred to me last night while I was trying to go to sleep." Rukia said, raising her hand to get the group's attention. "As we're all now aware that Rukon is a huge place, how are we going to get anything done as a group?"

"Huh? What are you getting at, Rukia?" Renji asked, scratching the back of his head.

"What I'm getting at, you moron is; are we going to be in one big group, or are we going to split up into smaller groups?" She responded, causing Renji to growl in anger at Rukia, who simply stuck her tongue out at him.

"That's actually a really good point, but I've already thought of that. We'll head out as a group to begin with, but as we head into safer districts, we'll set up a meeting point where we'll all meet each week to give updates on how everything is going, but from there, we'll split off into three groups and each group will take a respective quadrant." Ichigo said.

"What's a quadrant?" Kenta asked, causing both Masaru and Hiroshi to hit him over the head.

"Ok, knock it off you three. Uhh, no pun intended. What I mean is, when we split into three groups, each group will head North, East or West; since we came from the South, we'll have already covered that area. From there you'll become independent leaders of our gang in that area and each week, we'll all return to the designated meeting point to discuss our progress."

"Hey, that's actually a good idea. The more we spread out and the more we help people, the bigger our network will become and eventually, we won't need to meet to keep updated; we can simply pass messages on to each other, using certain people and places to do so." Rukia said, smiling as the thought just occurred to her.

"Wow, I hadn't actually thought of that. That's a great idea, Rukia." Ichigo said, smiling as he tussled her hair, causing her to giggle.

"Alright, then what the hell are we doing just standing here?! Let's move out!" Renji declared, pointing towards the river that flowed through Hanging Dog.

"Yeah, but there's just one slight problem, Renji…" Rukia said, causing Renji to look at her in confusion. "You're pointing South."

"Oh, shut up! You know what I meant. Let's just get going…" Renji said, sounding somewhat deflated as he turned around and began the journey North, causing everyone else in the group to laugh as they too began their trek deeper into the Rukon District.

* * *

Sōsuke Aizen was never one to get ahead of himself. Everything he did had been meticulously planned and he had several plans for every situation, even if the outcome of any situation was unfavourable to him, he still had a plan that would cause the outcome to benefit him. Today was no exception.

Originally, he had hoped the Head Captain would have agreed that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads needed new blood and someone with such a high level of spirit energy like Ichigo would prove to be an invaluable asset in the future and allowed him to head into the Rukon District and find Ichigo. While it irritated him that the Head Captain refused him to do so, he was sure he'd be able to sway most of the other Captains into siding with him.

It had been just over seventy years since he managed to get rid of Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin and several other Captain and Lieutenant Class Soul Reapers, and since he was able to take down Isshin in the World of the Living during his confrontation with the Hollow Experiment known as 'White', who subsequently disappeared after said confrontation almost twenty years ago, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were lacking young, talented Soul Reapers.

But even that didn't matter; even if the majority voted against the idea, he still had Kaname's men in Squad Two scouring the Rukon District for Ichigo. He would soon be in Aizen's hands and his plans could continue unhindered.

All these plans were being formulated by Aizen's incredible analytical mind as he made his way to the Squad One Barracks, where the Captain's Meeting would be taking place in less than ten minutes.

"Good Morning, Captain Aizen." A voice spoke, breaking Aizen out of his thoughts and future plans. He stopped walking and turned to look behind him, where he saw a face with a long, thin smile upon it.

"Ah, hello Gin. How is everything going?" Aizen asked as he turnedand began walking, with Gin next to him.

"Oh, quite well. I woke up this morning and felt incredibly well rested, the sun was just starting to rise and the birds were singing in the trees outside my room."

"That isn't what I meant, and you know it." Aizen said with no emotion in his voice, or on his face.

"Come now, Captain Aizen, you must really learn to lighten up." Gin said, causing Aizen to chuckle slightly.

"Perhaps you are right, but right now my main concern is getting Ichigo Kurosaki to become a Soul Reaper. It doesn't matter how long that takes, because I know he will join me; it's all just a matter of when now."

"Well, I'm pleased you say that, as I have a feeling Captain Tōsen's 'friends' within the Stealth Force won't be able to find him so easily. It would appear only us Captains can sense Ichigo's spiritual pressure. No-one in my Squad, including my Lieutenant, can't seem to sense it."

"Yes, I noticed that too. While it's wild and unrefined, I thought it was strong enough that at least anyone higher than a Fifth Seat would be able to sense it, but it seems only we Captains can feel it."

"Does this mean you'll need to put your plans on hold? What if the meeting today doesn't go in your favour?" Gin asked, slowing down as he and Aizen arrived at the gates of Squad One.

"No, that won't be necessary. Even if the Old Man refuses to send us to find Ichigo, we'll still have Kaname's contacts looking for him… Now that I think about it; that might prove to be more fruitful in the long run. We'll be able to closely monitor the boy and see if there are any changes in his spiritual energy. Either outcome is acceptable, as Ichigo will be delivered to me eventually."

The gates of Squad One opened and the two Captains ceased their talks as they entered the barracks and made their way to the Meeting Room. As they arrived in the foyer, they realised they were the last two to arrive, not including the Head Captain.

"Good day, Captain Aizen. Captain Ichimaru." Shunsui greeted the two Captains who had just arrived.

"Hello, Captain Kyōraku." Gin waved at Shunsui as the two men walked over to the laid-back Captain. "Do you know why the Head Captain called this meeting?" Gin asked, causing Aizen to shoot him a glare that no-one seemed to notice, except Gin.

"Well, I can't say for sure, but I think it might have something to do with that strange spiritual pressure that arrived in the Rukon District yesterday." Shunsui shrugged.

"I hope so. It feels wild and out of control. It feels strong enough that whoever it belongs to might prove to be a worthy opponent." A voice from behind Aizen and Gin spoke, causing the two men to turn around to see a large figure looming over them both.

"Ah, Captain Zaraki. I had a feeling you'd relish the thought of fighting whoever possesses that spiritual energy. It does feel very strong, if a little unrefined." Gin said, waving at the big man standing before him.

"Oh, settle down, you foolish barbarian! All you ever want to do is destroy things!" An angry voice sliced through the atmosphere. "Whatever is emanating that incredible spiritual energy would make for the perfect specimen for my research!" A man with a black and white painted face approached the four Captains, his hands were pressed together, and being rubbed together in anticipation of all the experiments he'd love to perform.

"Put a lid on it, Kurotsuchi! No-one gives a shit about you or your damn experiments!" Kenpachi growled, glaring at the shorter Captain as he came to a halt within the group.

"How dare you?! My experiments have proved to be invaluable to the Soul Society, or have you become so brain damaged that you forgot who made that eye-patch of yours that feeds off your own spiritual pressure?" Mayuri spat, returning the glare Kenpachi was giving him.

"Settle down, gentlemen. This is the Head Captain's office, not the training ground." Another voice spoke, and everyone turned to see an old man with grey hair and a grey moustache standing before them. He was wearing a Captain's Coat and a light blue silk scarf that was loosely draped around his neck and shoulders.

"Oh, good day Sir Ginrei. How are you today?" Shunsui asked, bowing to the Nobleman.

"Very well, thank you, Captain Kyōraku, but it would be much better if there was no arguing between fellow Captains." Ginrei looked at both Mayuri and Kenpachi, who stormed off in opposite directions. Just as they did so, the doors to the main Meeting Hall opened and all the Captains began making their way inside.

"I do believe Old Man Yama is ready for us…" Shunsui chuckled. He took a step to the side and bowed his head slightly. "After you, Captain Kuchiki."

"Thank you, Captain Kyōraku." Ginrei nodded at Shunsui as he made his way inside and took his place for the meeting.

After Shunsui allowed Ginrei to pass, he extended the courtesy to both Gin and Aizen, while he brought up the rear and was the last one to enter. Once Shunsui took his place, Head Captain Yamamoto stood up from his chair and banged his cane off the ground once.

"This Captain's Meeting is hereby called to order!" His voice boomed around the room; the acoustics of the room amplified his voice, making it seem like he was talking from everywhere in the room. "As I'm sure you are all aware, yesterday a very strange spiritual pressure was detected within the Rukon District. While it was strong, it was also untamed and unrefined. As far as I am aware, only we Captains could sense it. Has anyone outside the Captain Class made mention of this strange spiritual pressure?"

"While I do not think he could actually sense it, Kaien Shiba did make a passing comment about a particularly strange sensation he was feeling sometime after I first felt said spiritual pressure." Captain Ukitake stepped forward from his place to address the other Captains.

"Yes, my grandson also said he felt rather peculiar around the time I began to sense it. Whether or not it was just a coincidence remains to be seen." Ginrei affirmed.

"So, both Kaien Shiba and Byakuya Kuchiki may very well be attuned to this spiritual pressure? Is there anyone else who has approached you with similar comments?" Yamamoto looked at the rest of the Captains, who all shook their heads.

"Do we know what the source is? Could it be a new type of Hollow? This sprit energy does feel rather… Murky." A large man with a full faced helmet asked.

"That is rather unlikely, Captain Komamura." Aizen began. "If it was indeed a Hollow, then I'm sure Squad Twelve would have been notified." After Aizen had suggested this, everyone in the room looked to Captain Kurotsuchi.

"What Captain Aizen says is true. If it was a Hollow, my scanners would have picked it up and sent out an alert. However, Captain Komamura's suggestion is not without merit. I managed to retrieve the spiritual signature on my scanners and spent all night analysing it. While I have confirmed the source to be a human soul, I can also confirm this is no normal human soul we are dealing with. I would like to request that we find this soul that I might make further investigations into the matter."

"To hell with your investigations, Kurotsuchi! I vote we find this soul so they can become my new sparring partner!" Captain Zaraki grinned devilishly at the thought of having an opponent who might very well be strong enough to fight them at full strength; with the proper training.

"Who cares about you and your childish desires, you bumbling imbecile! We need this soul to better understand its power and how it managed to attain such a harsh spiritual pressure. It's inconceivable." Captain Kurotsuchi began to scratch his chin, using his exceedingly long fingernail.

"While I don't necessarily agree with Captain Kurotsuchi's desire to experiment on a human soul, perhaps it would be prudent to seek this soul out and make them a Soul Reaper. After the betrayal of Kisuke Urahara, we are not as strong as we could be." Captain Komamura said, causing a few other Captains to nod in agreement.

Seeing the Captains agree to Komamura's statement, Aizen inwardly smiled. _Good, it seems everything is going as planned._ Gin, however, noticed the Captain across from him began to scowl at the mention of the name 'Kisuke Urahara', and decided to make some mischief.

"Oh, but Captain Komamura, don't forget; Kisuke Urahara was not alone. He had help from Kido Corps Commander Tessai Tsukibishi…" He paused for a moment and looked across the room once more to see the Captain standing opposite him was now grinding her teeth. He knew exactly what to say next. "And let us not forget the other traitor; former Squad Two Captain; Yoruichi Shihōin."

"Don't you dare speak that name!" Soifon yelled at Gin as she lunged at him, only to be held back by Ginrei and Shunsui. Gin, however, had to stop himself from bursting out laughing at just how perfectly his little plan for mischief had worked.

"CAPTAIN SOIFON, CONTROL YOURSELF!" The Head Captain's voice thundered around the room, causing the entire room to go silent. Everyone present had even stopped breathing, "How many times must I tell you to control your emotions? Yoruichi Shihōin is a traitor to the Soul Society, whether you like it or not!"

"Y-yes, Head Captain. Please forgive me and my actions. They were unbecoming of a Captain. I apologise to you too, Captain Ichimaru." Soifon spoke in a voice barely higher than a whisper, but was clearly heard by everyone in the room.

"That's quite alright, Captain Soifon. Don't worry your pretty little head about it." Gin said, waving a hand dismissively. With a large grin on his face, he looked over to Captain Aizen, who merely shook his head.

"Ahem, returning to business at hand…" Yamamoto attempted to carry on the meeting from where they had been so rudely interrupted by Soifon. "Captain Komamura is correct, but this is not a decision for me to make, and with the Captain's Seat for Squad Ten currently vacant, I will not need to make a decision on the matter. All those in favour of tracking down this soul in an attempt to recruit them into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, raise your hand now."

After the Head Captain spoke, Captains Ichimaru, Aizen, Komamura, Tōsen and Zaraki all raised their hands.

"Very well; those who vote we leave this soul in peace and allow it to do as it wishes, raise your hand." The Head Captain declared.

This time, Captains Soifon, Unohana, Kuchiki, Kyōraku and Ukitake raised their hands. Once the Head Captain noticed the vote was tied at five votes a piece, he raised an eyebrow.

"Captain Kurotsuchi. I notice you didn't vote for either decision." Yamamoto looked at the Squad Twelve Captain expectantly.

"That's because I choose neither decision. I vote we find this soul so that I may perform experiments on it to see what makes it so special." Mayuri grinned evilly, rubbing his hands together in excitement. Upon hearing this suggestion, half the Captains present groaned.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, while I understand your desire for knowledge, your experiments are both cruel and abhorrent. This is a human soul we are talking about, our duties as Soul Reapers are to protect humans, both living and dead; your 'research' violates those duties you, as a Captain, are sworn to uphold." Captain Unohana spoke for the first time, causing all the Captains present to agree.

"Fine! To hell with that damn soul! Leave it alone for all I care, I have far more important experiments that require my attention!" Mayuri growled before taking his place back in line, grumbling a few obscenities to himself about Captain Unohana. What Mayuri didn't know, was that Captain Unohana heard every word and made a mental note to herself to visit him later and reprimand him.

"Very well; it is decided. We are to leave this soul be and let it do as it pleases, and should it decide to become a Soul Reaper at any point, then we shall be lucky to have them as an ally. This meeting is dismissed!" With a final strike of his cane against the hardwood floor, Head Captain Yamamoto ended the Captain's Meeting.

"Well, that's no good. What will you do now, Captain Aizen?" Gin asked, once they had left the Squad One barracks and were alone.

"I will do as the Head Captain says, Gin. I will leave Ichigo Kurosaki be for the time being. Kaname, your men in Squad Two will be able to locate him?" Aizen asked, turning to look at Kaname, who walked on his left side.

"Of course sir, but it might take them some time, given the fact they cannot sense his spiritual pressure and they have to search the entire Rukon District." Kaname stated.

"Time is of little consequence. As long as they can find him, then that's good enough for me." Aizen said as a thin smile crept across his face. _You will be mine, Ichigo Kurosaki. One day, I will find you and make you join me; one way or another..._

* * *

 **A/N; Alright, I hope the way I have wrote this doesn't confuse anyone, in terms of the timeline and events that have occurred. I'm using details from flashbacks that appear in the Anime to write this story, but adapt it so that Ichigo is now residing in the Soul Society, but he meets Rukia and Renji as they're kids so I can (possibly) make a mini-story out of that while I write this as a whole.**

 **I intend on making this some sort of 'Multi-Chaptered, Multi-Storied' Epic, wherein there are many new storylines that develop as this Fanfic progresses. Hopefully, it'll make more sense the more I write, but I can't promise I'll update regularly. Once I get writer's block, it becomes almost impossible for me to progress. I WILL finish this though. Just like my other one, but for now, consider that to be on indefinite hold until I figure out where I want that to go (Writer's Block is such a bitch). Right now, this is the one I'll be focssing on. I hope you'll all enjoy the adventure that we're about to embark upon.**


	2. The Pieces Begin To Fall Into Place

Chapter Two – The Pieces Begin To Fall Into Place

Three weeks had passed since Ichigo had set out on his journey with Rukia, Renji, Kenta, Hiroshi and Masaru. After five days of travelling, they had reached South Rukon District 40 and had decided this would be the place that they would meet up to discuss progress in the other parts of the Rukon.

"Alright, I think this will be a good place to make camp." Ichigo said as they arrived in the heart of the District. "It certainly looks safer than the other places we've been recently."

"I agree, but there's just one problem…" Renji began, causing Ichigo to look at him. "How are we going to blend in? We're in rags and these people all have nice clothes… And footwear."

"You think I didn't plan for this?" Ichigo asked with a grin as he pulled the bag he was carrying off his back and threw it on the ground before the group. "Go on, look inside."

As Renji picked up the bag and opened it and what he found inside astounded him. The bag was full of clothes that looked like they were suited to this area, but to Renji and his friends, they looked like something royalty would wear.

"Whooooooa! These are amazing! Where did you get these?" Renji asked, looking up at the orange-haired teen.

"Remember back in District 42 when you guys were all arguing about who should go where when we split up? Well, seeing how I knew you wouldn't stop for some time, I decided to slip away and find some way for us to blend in, because it was apparent you guys weren't from around here and since I died in my school uniform, it was obvious I wasn't even from here, so I decided to 'borrow' some clothes from a few of the residents."

Ichigo did feel bad about taking things that didn't belong to him, but he knew what he was doing was for a good cause, which made him feel just a little better about the whole thing. Plus, he vowed that one day, he'd make sure he made up for what he did. It was what he was about to show everyone that he didn't feel bad about.

"That's not all. I'm sure you noticed the bag was too heavy for there just to be clothes and sandals in there, didn't you?" Renji nodded. He knew it felt heavy, but once he saw the clothes, he didn't care. "Take a look at the bottom, and you'll see why."

Confused, Renji did as he was told and rummaged his way through the clothes and at the bottom he found a rather large wooden box. Growing more and more confused by the minute, he pulled the box out of the bag and opened it. If the discovery of clothes astounded Renji, then what was inside the box blew his mind.

"Wha… What the hell is this?!" Renji exclaimed, causing everyone to gather around the red head and look at the contents of the box. What they saw caused their eyes to widen considerably.

The box was full of money. It was full to bursting with shiny gold and silver coins and a large stack of paper bills. The kids had never seen this much money in their lives.

"Ichigo, where did you find this?" Rukia asked, looking at the teen with a sceptical look. "I hope you didn't 'borrow' this too."

"No way! I feel bad about the clothes, but I don't about this. You see, when I was off looking for clothes for us, I heard voices and thought the people who owned the clothes had come home. So, I jumped over a fence near their home and hid in some bushes. But, it turns out it wasn't the owners, but some other people who were up to no good."

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea? What if someone sees us?" One of the men asked.

"How many times have we done this? How many times have we been caught?" The other asked.

"I know, but I think our Captain is starting to grow suspicious. We've been making too many 'patrol trips' out here recently. I think it's time we dial back on this scheme." The first man said.

"This 'scheme', as you put it, is fool-proof. Our Captain isn't stupid, I know that much. Besides, he's far too busy with the day to day running of the Squad that he probably has no idea what most of his subordinates are doing. So quit your worrying."

"I don't know… All it takes is one citizen that's decided enough is enough to head to the Seireitei and tell someone about what's happening. Then the jig is up and we'll have to answer for our crimes."

"If they want to run and tell people what's happening, then they'll lose our protection. It's very simple, the people all pay us a tribute and we keep them safe from Hollows and bandits who might want to attack merchants and traders who come and go through this area. They can't afford to lose merchandise and I know people certainly don't want to die, so they'll keep paying."

The first man nodded his head in agreement, but still looked uneasy. The duo walked past the shrubs Ichigo had been hiding in, unaware that he was even there and had heard everything they had said. He left the clothes in the bushes and decided to follow the two men, who he noticed were dressed in black robes.

After a short walk, he saw the men had stopped near a river that was flowing nearby. He watched from afar as the two men made their way under the bridge that spanned the river and remained there for several minutes before they came back out and made their way back into the busy district. Ichigo managed to conceal himself in between two buildings that were nearby and watched as the two men passed by him without even realising they had been followed.

Once he was certain they had gone, Ichigo made his way to the bridge and began looking underneath it. As smart as these men thought they were, they were incredibly stupid in Ichigo's eyes. The men had 'hid' the box they had been carrying in the sand near the riverbank. That would've been a smart move, if they have carefully covered the spot they had dug properly, but instead, they decided to cover it up with a pile of rocks which looked so out of place, that anyone who had looked under the bridge would have noticed the pile of rocks had no place being there, and were clearly trying to hide something.

It took Ichigo a few minutes to remove the rocks and dig up the box the men had buried, but when he opened it and saw it filled with money, he knew what to do.

He took a few coins and a small stack of bills, closed the box and reburied it, but this time, he carefully covered the box with sand and didn't need to use the rocks, which he left scattered around, for he would need them later.

He quickly headed back into the district and went to a shop and bought some paper, writing instruments and another wooden box that looked almost identical to the one that the two men were carrying. Before he headed back to the river, he made a stop to the home where he grabbed the clothes from and left both a note apologising for taking the clothes and the small stack of bills he took from the box. He had no idea how much the things he took cost, but he hoped what he left was ample compensation.

Once he returned to the river, he dug up the old box, and swapped it out for the empty one, not before writing a note which said 'Thanks for the gift. I'll make sure people benefit from this 'generous donation'. Losers.' Satisfied, he rolled the note up, place it in the box, buried it in the sand and placed the rocks back over it, so it would look like the hiding spot had not been disturbed, before taking the box and heading back to find his friends, not before picking up the bag of clothes that he still had hidden in the bushes.

* * *

"Wow, that's pretty impressive. But those two men sound like Soul Reapers to me. But that makes no sense; I thought Soul Reapers were meant to be good guys?" Renji asked, still staring at the box of money.

"You'll always get bad guys, no matter where you go. Take where I came from, for example; the Police were meant to protect and serve the citizens, but some would take bribes to look the other way and others would threaten people if they didn't pay them extra money for protection, which seems to be the case here." Ichigo said.

"So, what do we do now?" Kenta asked.

"Well, now we put these clothes on, split the money and we all head off to begin our mission!" Renji said standing up and began to rummage through the bag and find a set of clothes he liked.

"Renji's right. If we want to be able to continue, we need to be able to look the part and now we will. The money will be able to help us survive and buy more supplies on the journey."

"Well, there should be more than enough to last us for a very long time, even if we were to split it up. But that begs the question; how are _we_ going to split up?" Rukia asked, taking out the only dress in the bag and smiling to herself. _At least Ichigo was considerate enough to get something for me too. Plus it's really nice._

"That's a good question. Anyone got any ideas?" Ichigo asked, as everyone picked out clothes and sandals from the bag.

"I want to go with Ichigo!" Kenta declared, pointing at Ichigo, causing him to take a step back. He was a little afraid at the boy's level of enthusiasm to travel with him.

"No way! _I_ want to go with Ichigo!" Hiroshi cried.

"Go to hell! I called it first!" Kenta shouted, glaring at his friend.

"Well, I want to go with Rukia." Masaru said, as he smiled and waved at Rukia, making her feel a little more than uncomfortable.

"Uhh, actually, I was going to go with Renji." She said, as she grabbed Renji's arm and held onto it tightly, causing Renji to blush ever so slightly.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. You two can go together. Hiroshi and Masaru can go together as well, and–" Ichigo said, before being interrupted by Kenta.

"YES! I knew you'd pick me to go with you, Ichigo! I knew you thought I was the best!" Kenta said, jumping about, causing his friends to scowl at him.

"Actually, Kenta, I hadn't finished. I hate to burst your bubble, but I was going to say that you should go with Hiroshi and Masaru." Ichigo said, causing Kenta to stop jumping about and look t Ichigo with a shocked look.

"What, why?! That doesn't make sense, there are six of us; I thought we were going to go in three pairs?" Kenta asked.

"He's right, Ichigo. I thought we were going to go in three groups of two and head in different directions?" Rukia asked looking at the teen with a quizzical look.

"Well, yeah, we did, but I'm kinda like a lone wolf. I tend to do better on my own. I was like that when I was alive too, so don't take it personally." Ichigo said as he walked over to Kenta and crouched down to look at him. "And between you and me, it seems like Hiroshi and Masaru would be better off with you. You seem to know what you're doing, and they need you."

"Yeah, you're right! They need me and my knowledge and skills!" He said, grinning. "Alright you two, let's head out!" Kenta said, walking off.

"Hold on! We need a plan first." Ichigo called out, causing Kenta to stop in his tracks and laugh sheepishly.

"Alright, so what are you thinking, Ichigo?" Renji asked.

"Well, this is where we'll meet; South Rukon District 40. That tea shop over there seems like a perfect place to meet." Ichigo said, pointing at the small shop which had people coming in and out of and had people sat at tables outside, drinking tea and enjoying each other's company.

"That's a good idea, plus it looks inconspicuous." Renji said, before being slapped on the head by Rukia. "Oww! What was that for?!"

"You dummy, we're not criminals. We don't need it to be 'inconspicuous', we just need somewhere to sit and a tea shop is a perfect place." She said, shaking her head at her friend's stupidity.

"Uhh, right… Back to the point at hand. I've been doing some thinking. Since it's taken us five days to reach here, it's safe to say it's impossible to meet here every week, so I think meeting here every month will be the best thing to do. But, with that being said, I think we should wait two months before our first meeting." Ichigo said, causing his friends to nod in agreement.

"Alright, now that's sorted, who's going where, exactly?" Hiroshi asked.

"I was just getting to that." Ichigo said. "I'm going to head West. There's something relaxing about walking with the sun on your back that I can't explain. Rukia and Renji will head North, but I thought they might want to head East with you guys, so you don't have to depart immediately." Ichigo said, looking from Rukia and Renji, to Kenta and his friends, who all nodded in agreement.

"Hey, that's pretty cool. We won't have to say goodbye to each other so soon." Renji said, smiling.

"Alright, then it's settled. We'll meet back here in two months' time." Ichigo said, before he picked up the bag with the only set of clothes and footwear left and divided the money between them (He decided to split it three ways and then let the rest split their share between themselves) before they all set out on their own paths.

* * *

Ichigo had spent the past three weeks in West Rukon and had gotten to know the area quite well, mainly the area arounds Districts 1 to 25. Ichigo had quickly learned that the Districts all run in rings throughout the Rukon District, and the further out you went, the bigger the Districts became. West Rukon District 1; Junrinan, was the smallest District, but the most peaceful, despite the fact West Rukon District 3, known as Hokutan was where Mount Koifushi was, which offered incredible scenes of the entire Rukongai, as well as a clear view of the Seireitei.

Ichigo had decided that if he wanted to lay the groundwork for an organised network to help others, he needed people who were well connected, and it didn't take him long to learn that Districts 1 to 25 were the best places to find those sorts of people. Today, he found himself in District 3, entering a shop that he regarded as his favourite one he'd been to.

"Ah, good morning, Ichigo. How are you today? Have you made any progress since last time?" A man asked as Ichigo walked into his store for the third time that week.

"Hey, Mr. Yoshida. I still haven't made any headway, I'm afraid, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up." Ichigo stated as he began to browse the shop's wares.

"Well, I'm pleased to hear you're not giving up. You're a good kid and it's really nice to see someone who _actually_ _wants_ to help the citizens of the Rukongai." Mr. Yoshida said, while he stood behind the counter, wiping it with a cloth.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, giving the old man a confused look.

"The Soul Reapers, my boy. Most of them see us Rukon citizens and trash and look down on us, simply because we have little to no spiritual pressure. The only reason they 'help' us, is because they have orders to, but even then, they decide what they help with. If it's something they deem menial, they'll start abusing the people who asked and scare the others who witness it."

"I thought the Soul Reapers were supposed to help people? I know there are a few bad ones, but they can't all be bad." Ichigo said, thinking back to the two Soul Reapers who were extorting money out of people, which he proceeded to take, in order to teach them a lesson.

"Oh, most of them are wonderful people, especially the Captains and Lieutenants. Most of the high ranked Officers are really good too, but it's those who have just joined a Squad, or been promoted to an Officer's position that are the bad ones. They start getting drunk on power, ordering us around and whatnot, but they soon learn their place when they get caught by one of their superiors." Mr. Yoshida explained, chuckling to himself at the last time he saw a Soul Reaper getting rinsed by their superior.

"Well, I would very much like to meet one of these Captains, just to see what makes them so highly regarded." Ichigo said, as he picked up a few supplies and headed over to the counter to pay.

"The last Captain that visited my store was Captain Tōsen. He's a very humble and respectful man and is one of the best Captains I've met, despite being blind." Mr. Yoshida said as he began to pack the things Ichigo had bought into bags.

"Wait, he's _blind_?! How does he fight or perform other Soul Reaper duties if he can't see?" Ichigo asked incredulously.

"He's blind, yes, but he's still able to 'see' what lies in front of him by assessing spirit energy of the people around him. That's about as much as I know, but it's still impressive nonetheless. Ok, that's 3,400 Kan, my good sir." Mr. Yoshida said, as he totalled up the cost of the things Ichigo had purchased.

Ichigo handed the old man the money, said his goodbyes and made his way out of the store. He made it less than three steps before someone came careening into him, knocking him over.

"Oww! Did anyone get the license plate of that truck?" He said, dazed by the collision that had caused him to end up on the floor. But he didn't have long to collect his thoughts, as he found himself being vigorously shook by the person who crashed into him.

"Mister! Hey, mister! You have to help me, please!" The voice belonged to a male, but he sounded rather young. Ichigo managed to stop the person from shaking him to get a good look at him. He was a small boy with turquoise eyes. He was wearing a robe that matched the colour of his eyes, but that wasn't what stood out about him, Ichigo realised. His hair was as white as snow. Ichigo managed to reposition himself before responding.

"What's the matter, kid? Is everything ok?" He asked, still sitting on the floor.

"No, I need help! My cousin! She… She… Please, you have to help!" He shouted frantically.

"Ok, what's happened, where is your cousin?" Ichigo asked, standing up and looking at the boy.

"We were on Mount Koifushi when… They came and started harassing us. I tried to stop them, but they just pushed me aside." He responded, looking rather upset and distressed.

"Alright, let's go, kid! We haven't got time to lose!" Ichigo said, causing the young boy to smile and turn and start running.

"It's this way! Follow me!" He shouted as Ichigo broke out into a run, following him.

* * *

"So, what exactly happened?" Ichigo asked after several minutes of running in silence. He thought it'd be best to get an understanding of the situation first. Not that it'd stop him from helping anyway.

"My cousin and I were sat on top of Mount Koifushi, eating watermelons. She always brings watermelons and takes me up there with her because it's peaceful and serene." The boy said, as the duo began to climb the mountain path to the top.

"Yeah, you got that right." Ichigo said, thinking about the times he had been up to the top of the mountain himself. "But what happened next? Who are they? More to the point; who are _you_?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, right, I'm Tōshirō. Tōshirō Hitsugaya. These guys… I don't know who they are, but they always harass my cousin. I don't know why; she's such a kind soul and would never hurt anyone." Tōshirō said.

"Well, despite the grim circumstances, it's nice to meet you Tōshirō. I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. Can you tell me when these guys started harassing your cousin? Does she know them?"

"I don't know, she often heads into West Rukon, but never further than District 5. None of her friends live out that far. We're from District 1." Tōshirō said, panting slightly as the incline of the path began to increase as they neared the summit.

"Right, so whoever they are, do they harass both of you or just your cousin?" Ichigo asked.

"It's mainly her. They make rude, derogatory comments whenever they see her, but they start threatening me when I tell them off. Oh, there's something else about them that's just weird. They all ride pigs."

"Uhh… Pigs? Really? Okaaaay, that's certainly weird. But that's beside the point; they're going to wish they never opened their mouths to your cousin when I'm finished with them." Ichigo growled.

Ichigo was someone who was raised properly by his parents and while his dad was a total goofball, he taught his son to always be respectful in the presence of a lady, and people who made lewd comments that were meant for women disgusted him.

It wasn't long before they reached the top of Mount Koifushi and Tōshirō began to frantically look around.

"There's no-one here. Ichigo, what do we do? What if they've–" Tōshirō began, before Ichigo cut him off.

"Shh! Do you hear that?" He whispered, causing Tōshirō to look around, confused.

"What? No, I don't hear anything!" He shouted, starting to get annoyed.

"That's because you're shouting and not listening. Listen closely." He whispered, holding a hand up to his ear, making Tōshirō do the same. That's when he heard it; the sound of voices off into the distance.

"Hey, I hear it now! That must be them!" He whispered in an excited manner. "C'mon! Let's go!" He took off into the forest area where the voices were emanating from.

The pair kept low and slowly made their way through the forest, making sure they didn't give away their position to the people they were looking for. After a few minutes the voices started getting louder and more audible, Ichigo knew they must be in the clearing just past the edge of the forest.

"Aww, come on! Why are you being so unreasonable? The boss is being very generous." One of the voices said.

"Yeah, it's not often he does something like this. If I were you, I'd be very appreciative and grateful!" Another voice spoke.

As Ichigo and Tōshirō reached the clearing, they saw a group of five men, all stood around a young girl, who was sat on the ground, looking very upset. Ichigo noticed she had been crying recently and that further stoked the flames of rage that burned within.

"What have you done with Little Shirō?" The girl asked quietly, afraid that she'd anger the men if she spoke too loudly or aggressively.

"'Little Shirō'? Who's that?" One of the men asked. Now that Ichigo could see them, he knew that the one who had just spoken was a skinny guy with a pink kimono decorated with hearts. He had dark green hair, but with his back to Ichigo, that was all he could discern. The one thing that stood out the most was the fact he had a giant clock strapped to his back.

"It must be that punk kid she was with, Hawk. Y'know, the one I threw off the top of the summit." The second man spoke again. He was rather large and had a bald head. He was wearing a beige shirt and was by far the tallest in the group.

"You did _what_?!" The girl cried, tears starting to form in her eyes again.

"Relax. I only tossed him off down the mountain path. I didn't hurt him… Much." The bald guy said, chuckling.

"Man, Dumbell, we really need to start calling you 'Dumbass', because that was stupid, even by your standards." The first man spoke. He was a man of average height and wore a black robe and had a large afro that was held up by a purple headband. He also had a teardrop shaped eyebrows, which Ichigo couldn't help but snigger at.

"Hey, shut up, Fever! No-one asked you!" Dumbell growled.

"How about you both shut up?" Another man spoke. This one had blond hair that was styled up in a spike at the front of his head. He was also wearing a pair of sunglasses.

"Bite me, Top!" Fever shouted, causing him, Top and Dumbell to all start arguing, while the man known as Hawk just sighed and shook his head.

"Hey! Would you three idiots knock it off?!" One man yelled, causing the three men that were arguing to immediately stop and stand at attention.

"Sorry boss!" They all shouted before remaining silent.

The man they called 'boss' had just come out of a small clutch of trees, he had just finished adjusting his pants, which meant he must have been answering nature's call. He was a tall muscular man with scruffy, black, shoulder length hair and was wearing a bandanna and a pair of goggles.

"Now then, my dear, have you decided on your answer?" The man asked, taking a knee to talk to the girl.

"I've already given you my answer; leave me alone!" She replied, causing the man to growl at her.

"You're such an ungrateful little bitch! I'm offering you the chance to be my woman and you refuse?! I think you need to learn your place!" He shouted, raising a hand at her.

"And I think you need to seriously reconsider what you're about to do!" Ichigo called out, causing the five men to look around, confused and surprised that someone else was present. Ichigo stood up from where he and Tōshirō were hiding and made his way into the clearing, closely followed by Tōshirō. "Touch her and I'll kick the crap out of you." Ichigo glowered at the group of 'men' that stood before him.

"Little Shirō! You're ok!" The girl cried, happy to see her cousin was safe and unhurt.

"How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?!" He shouted in exasperation.

"I don't know who the hell you are, kid, but you better get the hell out of here before I set my boys on you!" The leader of the gang shouted.

"Normally, I'd have no problem with getting into a fight with you, but unlike you, I don't hit girls." Ichigo stated bluntly.

"Go to hell! I'll have you know that I, the great Ganju Shiba, don't hit girls!" The man named Ganju declared.

"'The Great Ganju Shiba'? What are you, a magician? Maybe you can make yourself disappear then." Ichigo said, grinning at the look on Ganju's face, which became angrier when the girl giggled at the comment.

I'm warning you, kid, leave now and you won't get hurt." Ganju threatened.

"Really? I was going to say the same to you, but that ship sailed when you were about to harm that girl. Do you treat all women that way, or just the ones you try to 'court'? Speaking of, just how often does your 'courting' even work, I mean, I'm all the way over here and I can smell you. Do you sleep in a barn or something? I know you ride pigs, but I didn't know you slept with them too."

"Alright, I've had enough! Hawk, Top! Go teach this kid a lesson!" Ganju shouted, causing two of his lackeys to move towards Ichigo.

"Yes, boss!" They said in unison, as they advanced on Ichigo.

"Stand back, Tōshirō. I don't want you getting dragged into this." Ichigo said without looking back as he cracked his knuckles.

If there was one thing Ichigo knew how to do, it was fight. He could remember back when he was alive how he would get bullied by people at school because of his orange hair. One day, he was getting beaten up by a group of thugs; someone stepped in and saved him. His name was Yasutora Sado, but Ichigo called him 'Chad'. After that day, the pair agreed that they'd always fight to protect each other and not for themselves. This occasion was no different to Ichigo.

The man named Top was the first to strike, swinging a wild punch at Ichigo that he could've dodged in his sleep. Ichigo side-stepped the strike and grabbed the guy's arm and swung him around, hurling him at his friend.

The pair crashed to the ground in a heap before they quickly got back to their feet to begin round two. Hawk was more cautious than Top and slowly started moving around, hoping to catch Ichigo off guard. When he thought he had an opening, he threw a punch at Ichigo, only for him to miss and be knocked off his feet by Ichigo, who easily ducked and leg sweep Hawk, knocking him on his back, taking the wind out of him.

Top took this opportunity to place a swift kick to the side of Ichigo's head, but Ichigo managed to block the kick and grab his opponent's leg. He dragged Top forward before coming up to smash him in the jaw with a vicious uppercut that had knocked him unconscious before he hit the floor.

Hawk finally managed to get up and started swinging wildly, hoping to hit Ichigo. His luck paid off as he feigned a left hook, only to strike with his right again, punching Ichigo in the cheek. Momentarily stunned, Hawk took that opportunity to kick Ichigo in the stomach, knocking him back and down on one knee.

"You see what happens when you mess what Ganju Shiba and his boys?!" Ganju jeered, as Ichigo struggled to suck air back into his lungs.

"Bite me, you pussy. All I see is a bitch who's too scared to fight himself." Ichigo retorted, trying to irritate Ganju.

"You really must like pain, huh? Dumbell! Fever! Get in there and teach his punk ass a lesson in respect!" Ganju growled.

"You got it, boss!" The other two men shouted as they rushed in to join the fight.

"Three on one? You insult me, Ganju. I've taken on more people than this; people who were actually tough and I still kicked their asses." Ichigo said, getting up from one knee. He was ready to take this fight seriously now.

Dumbell was the first to strike this time, clutching his hands together, he swung them at Ichigo, like he was swinging a hammer, which made his attack very slow and easy for Ichigo to dodge. He side-stepped the strike and kicked Dumbell in the back of the knee, causing him to drop down, where Ichigo proceeded to lay a flurry of punches on the big guy's face. While it wasn't enough to incapacitate him, it was enough to temporarily stun him, so he could prepare for the next assault.

Fever thought he could charge at Ichigo and be able to take him down with a hard shoulder, but he was wrong. Ichigo dove out of the way and rolled through, back onto his feet. As he turned around, he didn't see Hawk sneak up behind him and grab his arms.

"Hehehehe! Nice job, Hawk!" Ganju praised his minion's sneakiness. "Hold him still while I teach him a lesson!" Ganju walked up to Ichigo and was about to lay the first strike when he stopped dead, confusing everyone.

"Uhh, boss? Boss, is everything alright?" Hawk asked as he struggled to hold down Ichigo.

"He… He looks just like Kaien." He muttered out loud.

"Kaien? Who the hell is Kaien? Is he another one of your butt-buddies? Oh, God, don't tell me you're going to start 'courting' me too!" Ichigo yelled, starting to flail about even harder, before being punched by Ganju.

"Don't you dare talk shit about my big brother, you bastard! He's a Soul Reaper and the Lieutenant of Squad Thirteen! You _will_ show some respect!" Ganju roared.

"Oh, yeah? Well, if he's a Soul Reaper, do you think he'd be proud of you; seeing what you're doing here? If I were him, I'd be ashamed!" Ichigo said, spitting blood out of his mouth.

"Why you little… I TOLD YOU TO SHOW SOME RESPECT!" Ganju shouted, pulling his hand back to punch Ichigo again.

Ichigo's flailing had been enough to be able to move his head around and was able to duck the punch that was aimed for his mouth. The punch carried on to hit Hawk square in the stomach, causing him to release Ichigo and fall to the ground, clutching his stomach in agony.

The shock of punching one of his goons was the opening Ichigo needed. While crouched on the ground, he leapt at Ganju, smashing him in the gut with a shoulder and punched him in the face before turning his attention to the other two.

Dumbell ran at Ichigo and tried to knock him over, but Ichigo was far too quick for that, which he should have learned by now. Once again, he side-stepped the big man and jumped on his back and wrapped his arms around Dumbell's neck, putting him in a sleeper hold. Before long, the big man collapsed to his knees and eventually passed out, his arms still flailing about in vain before completely passing out.

Now it was just Ichigo and Fever. Ichigo and Fever looked at each other, sizing each other up for a few moments before they began the final round. Fever took a few steps towards Ichigo before pausing again. He was being extra cautious, but Ichigo's patience had worn thin. He decided to end the fight by delivering a high kick to his opponent's jaw. He took a step forward and swung his foot up… Just as Fever took another step forward.

Ichigo's foot went crashing into the man's groin, causing Ichigo to inhale sharply as his foot met with the other man's testicles and saw his face contort into a mask of pain. He let out a little squeal as he collapsed to the floor, holding his crown jewels and silently rolling about in pain.

"That… Wasn't what I had intended. Sorry about that." He said to the man, who was crying in pain on the ground. He stepped over the man and made his way over to Ganju and grabbed him by the scruff of his collar.

"Alright, now you listen to me, pig-straddler; you're going to apologise to the girl and to Tōshirō for all the times you've harassed them both, then you're going to promise them both it'll never happen again. After that, you and your buddies are going to get the hell out of here, and if I see you harassing anyone again, I'll make sure the next time I kick someone in the balls, it'll be on purpose and much, much harder." Ichigo whispered, glaring at Ganju, causing him to sweat in fear. The only other person who scares Ganju this much was his sister.

"Ok, ok! I'll do it!" Ganju said, raising his hands in surrender, causing Ichigo to release him. He looked over at the girl on the ground, who watched the fight unfold in awe. "I apologise for everything I've said to you and I promise me and my boys will never harass you again. You too, little man." He said looking over at Tōshirō, who scowled at Ganju for calling him 'little'.

"Good… Now get the hell out of here." Ichigo said, causing Ganju to stand up and whistle loudly.

"BONNIE! IT'S TIME TO GO! C'MON, GIRL!" He yelled at the top of his voice, and after a few moments, the ground started to rumble as five large boars appeared from the other side of the clearing. Without a second thought, he managed to get his henchmen onto their respective modes of transport and took off without another word.

"Well, that went better than expected." Ichigo said to himself as he walked over to the girl and offered his hand to help her up, which she gratefully took. "Hey, are you ok… Umm… Sorry, I don't know your name. Tōshirō only said that you were his cousin." Ichigo said.

As he pulled her up, he was able to get a better look at the girl he had saved. She looked to be about the same age as Ichigo and had black hair that was tied in two pigtails at the base of her neck and she had big, brown eyes. Ichigo noticed they were still red from where she was crying earlier. She was wearing a white shirt and blue dress robe that was tied at the waist with a dark blue sash.

"Yes, I'm fine. Oh, and my name is Momo. Thank you for saving me… Uhh…" Momo began. "Well, this is embarrassing; I don't know your name either." She smiled in embarrassment.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, and you shouldn't thank me. It was your cousin that found me when he went to get help." Ichigo smiled, pointing to Tōshirō.

"Thank you, Little Shirō!" Momo said, picking up her younger cousin and hugging him.

"Yeah, she's definitely fine." Tōshirō deadpanned, as he was being swung around by Momo, who was still hugging him.

"C'mon, let's head back into town. I don't know about you guys, but I'm kinda hungry." He said, rubbing his stomach as it began to growl, causing Momo to giggle.

"I know Little Shirō is always hungry. So he'll be happy to get something to eat!" Momo smiled, causing her younger cousin to groan.

* * *

The journey back into town was one that was full of excitement. Ichigo quickly learned that Momo was a very happy, bubbly girl that wouldn't let bad things affect her positive attitude and he liked that about her. He found himself escorting the pair back down the mountain path and as he did so, he caught himself staring at her multiple times, which he mentally reprimanded himself for every time. He couldn't explain it, but he always found himself staring at her, but he was thankful she never noticed… Or so he thought.

Once they had arrived back in town, they were greeted with a large group of people applauding Ichigo. Clearly confused by what was happening, he just stood there dumbly, not sure how to act or what to do. One man stepped out from the group and Ichigo saw it was Mr. Yoshida, the storekeeper.

"Well done, Ichigo! Well done!" The old man praised the orange haired teen. "You are a true 'Man of the People'!" He smiled warmly at Ichigo.

"Ah, it was nothing. Tōshirō was looking for help, and I just happened to be there. I'm sure anyone would've done the same." Ichigo shrugged.

"Ah, he's a humble one, he is." A man from the crowd said. "This place could do with more heroes like you!"

"Honestly, it was nothing. I'd do it all over again without a second thought." He said simply.

"Yeah, I bet you would! She's a cutie, she is. Ow!" Another man commented before being hit over the head by who, Ichigo assumed, was his wife.

"Look, if it's all the same to you guys, we'd just like somewhere to sit and get something to eat. Momo has been through quite an ordeal and I just want to make sure she's ok." Ichigo said, causing the crowd to nod in agreement, and he was sure he heard a few people go 'aww' at his comment, but he chose to ignore it.

"Ah, but of course, but of course! Come, sit and I'll bring you all something to eat!" Mr. Yoshida said with a smile as he rushed back into his store to find some things for Ichigo and his new friends.

Once the trio were settled, Tōshirō decided to grill Ichigo with a few questions.

"So, Ichigo." Tōshirō began; his mouth full of cake. "How did you get here?"

"Well, I kinda died. How else would I get here?" Ichigo said, causing Tōshirō to scowl and Momo to giggle.

"I meant how did you get _here_ ; West Rukon District 3." Tōshirō clarified.

"I walked. You guys don't seem to have cars here, so there really was no other way." Ichigo replied, grinning. Now he was just teasing Tōshirō, who didn't seem to appreciate the humour, but Momo couldn't stop giggling, causing her cousin to turn to her.

"I suppose you think that was clever?" Tōshirō asked, looking at Momo, who simply smiled.

"Well it _is_ kind of funny, Little Shirō. You need to learn to laugh at times. Stop being so serious."

"You need to learn to grow up. I thought _I_ was the younger one here? And stop calling me 'Little Shirō'!"

"But why, Little Shirō? It's adorable." Momo said, before taking another bite out of her cake. Tōshirō simply groaned and slammed his head on the table.

"Ah c'mon, Tōshirō. She's just showing that she cares." Ichigo said, causing Momo to nod in agreement.

"Well, how would _you_ like it if I started calling you 'Little Ichi'?" Tōshirō said.

"Well, I'd be a little creeped out, but if you want to do it, then fine." Ichigo shrugged, causing Tōshirō to scowl.

"You're no fun, you know that?" He mumbled.

"Don't be like that. I'm sure Ichigo is lots of fun!" Momo said, smiling at Ichigo. _I bet I could have lots of fun with him._ She thought, before inwardly gasping and widening her eyes in shock. She couldn't believe she just had a thought like that.

"Hey, is something wrong, Momo?" Ichigo asked, looking at the girl with concern in his eyes, causing Momo to blush and her heart began to beat faster.

"Oh, no! It's nothing! Uhh, it's nothing. Yeah, nothing." She said, but Ichigo wasn't buying it. But, rather than press her, he simply shrugged and let it go.

"Hey, wait a minute! If you guys are eating, that must mean you get hungry, which must mean you guys have spirit energy!" Ichigo said, only now realising that fact.

"Wow, he's a quick one, isn't he? We've been sat here for how long and you only just realised?" Tōshirō said sarcastically.

"Well, sorry for that not being at the front of my mind right now!" Ichigo replied. _Yeah, we all know what's at the front of your mind right now… Or should I say 'who'?_

"Yeah, we all know what's at the front of your mind right now… Or should I say 'who'?" Tōshirō said at the same time as the thought passed through Ichigo's head, causing him to choke on his food and enter a fit of coughing.

"Tōshirō! Don't be so rude!" Momo cried at her younger cousin, while trying to help Ichigo by rubbing his back, to ease the coughing. Despite reprimanding her little cousin, part of her hoped that he was right, but she tried her best to bury those thoughts in the back of her mind.

"Rude or not, it's true, and I know you're the same!" He shouted, pointing at her accusingly, causing her to go bright red.

"That…" Ichigo began after he finished coughing and tried catching his breath. "That wasn't cool, Tōshirō."

"Cool or not, I don't see either of you denying it." Tōshirō stated, causing both Ichigo and Momo to look at him in protest, but they said nothing. "That's what I thought. Well, I'm going back to see Grandma. Later, Momo. Later, Ichigo. Thanks for your help, and for buying this food for me. You're alright." He said as he walked off, waving at the pair as he left.

"I'm sorry about him, Ichigo. He loves to embarrass me at every opportunity." Momo said, as she sat down across from him.

"Nah, it's alright. I guess that's just his way of getting payback at you calling him 'Little Shirō'." Ichigo said.

"I heard that!" The pair heard Tōshirō yell at them from a distance, causing them both to laugh.

"Yeah, maybe you're right, but I can't help it. He's my cousin and aside from his Grandma, he's my only family. He means a lot to me." She said, looking at the slowly vanishing image of her cousin as he walked off into the distance.

"I know what you mean. My sister Yuzu would always do the same; and she was four years younger than me." Ichigo smirked at the memory of his little sisters, even his deranged father who'd wake him up every day by trying to drop kick him or smash him in the face with a running elbow.

"You have family? Do you know where they are? I'd really like to meet them!" Momo said in an excited tone.

"Oh, no, I mean my family that I had when I was alive. I can still remember them." Ichigo said.

"Oh… I'm sorry, Ichigo. I didn't mean to upset you." She said, absentmindedly grabbing one of his hands. When she realised what she was doing, she quickly let go and sat on her hands, her face starting to go red again.

 _Her hands are really soft._ Ichigo thought to himself, before shaking his head to try and rid the thought.

"So, if you and Tōshirō have spirit energy, why don't you become Soul Reapers?" Ichigo asked, trying to change the subject.

"Well, Tōshirō is too young and I feel like I don't have enough latent spirit energy to become a Soul Reaper." Momo sighed, looking rather dejected.

"Hey…" Ichigo said gently, causing her to look at him. "I'm sure that's not true. If you burn enough spirit energy to get hungry frequently, then you must have a substantial amount of it hidden away in there. I mean, look at Tōshirō; he must have heaps of it, to be able to put away _that_ much food and _still_ be hungry!" Momo couldn't help but giggle at that.

"Yeah, I have a feeling he's a special one. I think he might even become a Captain one day." Momo said, smiling at the thought of her 'Little Shirō' as a Soul Reaper Captain. "What about you, Ichigo? If you can clearly recall your life in the World of the Living, then you must have an abundance of spirit energy hidden away within you. Why don't you become a Soul Reaper?"

"Well I won't lie, I've certainly given it some thought since Renji and Rukia told me I must have a lot of spirit energy to be able to remember my life when I was alive, but I don't really want to do it alone, y'know? I don't want to become a Soul Reaper and possibly become someone strong if it means I abandon my friends. If they wanted to become Soul Reapers too, then I would do it without a second thought." Ichigo said, looking at Momo, who couldn't help but smile at what he said.

"I know how you feel, doing something like that by yourself can be scary and I wouldn't want to abandon my friends and move on to bigger and better things if they didn't want to do it too. I understand that lonely feeling you get when you want to do something but others don't." Momo said sadly.

It was apparent to Ichigo that Momo had been abandoned by all her friends throughout her life. It was here that Ichigo decided he'd never abandon her. He didn't know why he made that decision, but there was something about Momo that fascinated him, and he wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and happy.

"I'll tell you what, Momo, the next time I see my friends, I'll ask them if they want to become Soul Reapers, and if they do, then we'll all do it. Together. I promise." Ichigo said with a smile that made Momo feel all warm inside. She knew this was a promise that wouldn't be broken.

"Thank you, Ichigo. You have no idea how much that means to me." Momo said, as she looked deep into Ichigo's eyes. She ended up getting lost in her thoughts, and her face went red when she realised she might actually have a little crush on Ichigo.

"Hey, are you alright, Momo? You look a little hot." Ichigo said.

"I do? You really think I look hot?" Momo said, her eyes widening in shock.

"Well, you've gone bright red, and I can't think of any other reason why that would be, other than the fact you're getting hot." Ichigo said, clearly missing what Momo was asking.

"Oh… That's what you meant…" Momo said, realising her mistake and tried hiding her face as it turned an even brighter shade of red. "So, Ichigo, why aren't your friends here with you now? Were you referring to your friends from when you were alive?" Momo asked after managing to regain her composure. _Keep it together, Momo! He's just a boy! But he's a really handsome boy though… Ohhh!_ Momo chastised herself mentally for her thoughts; they were not helping her situation at all.

"No, they're friends that I first met when I arrived here. I made a promise to them that we'd go out and help the citizens of the Rukongai who were treated unfairly by others, and that's why I'm here; to help those who struggle in everyday life." Ichigo said.

"Wow, that's incredibly admirable, Ichigo. You don't know any of these people, yet you'd do anything to help them; even a sheltered brat like me and Little Shirō." She said, smiling.

"You're not a sheltered brat, Momo, and neither is Tōshirō. Believe me, I've met some real brats in my time when I was alive and I know you two aren't anything like that. You're a kind person who has lots of energy and won't let anything get you down and Tōshirō's… Well, Tōshirō is young, so it's understandable that he's got a bit of an attitude. Try finding me a kid his age who _doesn't_ have an attitude; I'm telling you know, you won't. But I have to admit, he's very brave and very mature for his age."

"Your friends are lucky to have you, Ichigo." Momo said after a few moments of thinking about Ichigo's kind words.

"I'm lucky to have my friends, Momo. They could be friends with anyone, yet they chose to be friends with me; that goes for you two as well. I'm the lucky one his here." Ichigo said, his thought turning to his friends, and wondering how they were getting on in their area…

* * *

"Damn it, Renji! You just _had_ to insult that man's daughter, didn't you?!" Rukia scolded her redheaded friend on his stupidity.

"Hey, in my defence, she was being cheap! I mean, 50 Kan for rescuing her damn cat? She _is_ a damn cheapskate!" Renji replied, as the duo was running away from an angry mob.

"Yeah, maybe, but you didn't have to actually _say_ it, you moron. Even when you found out she was the daughter of the District's Elder, you _still_ couldn't shut up, could you?!"

"So what? Besides, he was just as bad; acting all high and mighty, simply because he's the Elder. I don't care who you are gramps, no-one talks down to Renji Abarai!" He declared as the mob began to get closer. "God, these people just won't quit!"

"That's probably because you stole the girl's cat, dummy!" Rukia shouted, pointing to the grey tabby that was currently perched on Renji's head.

"Well, she doesn't deserve to keep him, if she keeps letting him run away!" Renji said, taking the cat off his head to look at it. "I'm gonna call you Snowball!"

"Oh, for the love of… What you're going to do is put the damn cat down and keep running!" Rukia screamed, as she snatched the cat from Renji and lightly dropped it on the road where they were running.

As she had anticipated, the angry mob stopped chasing them once they retrieved the cat, but still managed to hurl rocks at the two kids as the kept running, while hearing cries of the angry mob.

"Stay out of North Rukon, if you know what's good for ya!"

"Yeah, you pesky brats are no longer welcome here!"

"If we see you here again, you little punks are dead!"

After several minutes of solid running, the pair stopped running and tried to catch their breath. After a few moments, Renji looked around the corner to see if they were still being followed. Confident they were no longer being pursued, he turned to Rukia with a big smile on his face, only to be greeted by a hard punch to the face.

"OWWW! What was that for?!" Renji asked, cupping his hands over his bleeding nose.

"That's for being an idiot and getting us banished from North Rukon! Now what are we gonna do? Go to Ichigo in a month's time and say 'Oh, sorry, we can't go back to North Rukon because Renji's a loudmouthed imbecile who doesn't know when to shut up'? Ichigo was counting on us, Renji, and we let him down."

"I'm sorry, Rukia… I just… I can't stand it when people talk down to me, even after I try to help them. I wonder how Kenta, Hiroshi and Masaru are doing…"

* * *

"Wow, this is easier than I thought! We've got a whole network of friends and allies willing to help us out now! Ichigo and the others will be so proud!" Kenta said with a smile.

"Yeah, plus that last guy we help out was really nice; said if we or our friends ever need a place to stay in East Rukon, then he'd be more than happy to help us out for free!" Masaru beamed.

"Well, get used to it guys, this is the start of something wonderful! We're helping out the citizens of the East Rukon and it feels great doing it!" Kenta said, pumping his fist in the air for emphasis.

As the trio were walking through the streets of East Rukon District 76, known as Sakahone, which was famous throughout the Rukon District for having a shrine dedicated to Mimihagi and for being the District which raised Squad Thirteen Captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, they bumped into a man who wasn't looking where he was going.

"Hey, watch it, you little bastards." The man growled.

"Screw you! You need to look where you're going!" Kenta shouted back.

Hiroshi noticed something on the ground that the man had dropped. He went and picked it up and realised he was looking at a picture. The subject of the picture made his blood run cold.

"H-hey… You-you guys need to take a look at this!" Hiroshi said, panic evident in his voice.

"What is it, Hiroshi? I was just about to go teach that guy some… Manners." Kenta said, as Hiroshi showed him and Masaru the picture he had picked up. It was of a teenager with bright orange hair that they knew so very well.

"Wha-what's that guy doing with a picture of Ichigo?" Kenta asked, swallowing hard, realising his throat had gone very dry.

"I don't know, but this isn't right. We need to find Ichigo. Fast." Masaru said, as the trio took off down a side street and began looking for a way to get to Ichigo and warn him of possible danger.

"Now where do you three think you're going?" A voice said, causing the three kids to freeze.

"Why, I do believe they was gonna warn the guy we're lookin' for." A second voice said.

"Then that means these three _do_ know Ichigo Kurosaki after all." A third voice said.

"Wh-wh-who are you? Come out here and show yourself!" Kenta shouted, trying to sound brave, when he was in fact scared for his life.

"Oho, listen to the little man here! Thinks he's some tough guy. Oh, you got me quakin' in me boots!" The second voice said, as two men appeared from one direction down the street.

The boys tried to turn back the way they had come, only to find it was blocked off by a third man.

"Tell us where Ichigo Kurosaki is." The first man said.

"No way! You want to hurt him, don't you?!" Kenta said.

"Not at all, little man. We jus' wanna have a little chat with the lad." The second man said.

"I don't believe you. Why else would you be carrying around his picture?" Hiroshi said.

"My, my… You little lads are quite the intrusive type, aren't ya? All these questions, yet you won't answer ours." The second man responded.

"Tell us how you know Ichigo Kurosaki and where we can find him!" The third man shouted, clearly starting to lose his patience.

"We're his friend, but as for where he is; we'll never tell!" Kenta shouted at the men, conviction in his words.

"Oh… I'm sorry, but that's the wrong answer." The first man answered as he and his comrades began to slowly advance on the three boys.

"One last time; where can we find Ichigo Kurosaki?" The third man asked.

"F-f-f-fuck you!" Kenta spat, trembling as the men got closer.

"Oh, now that's not nice? Little lads like you mustn't swear like that." The second man said, as he and the other two men pulled out knives from their robes.

In East Rukon District 76; otherwise known as Sakahone, no-one can hear the screams of the dead.

* * *

 **A/N; Ok, I'm gonna level with you guys; this was a pretty short chapter in my eyes, so get ready for a weird-ass form of 'time skip' in the next chapter, as there is no way in hell I can cram in what I can estimate to be, based on what I've learned from the flashbacks in the Anime and stuff, the best part of 40 years' worth of material. I mean, I could, but it'd be incredibly boring for you, plus it'd take me forever to write, as I wouldn't have a clue what to do, since I expended most of my ideas prior to Ichigo and friends becoming Soul Reapers in this chapter here. So, next chapter I will be expediting the story ahead to where everyone joins the Soul Reaper Academy, because that's the sort of thing you guys came here for, isn't it? Rest assured though, this 'time skip' won't alter or shorten the story in any way, shape or form, it'll just allow me to get into the guts of it much faster and bring you more action packed material, some of which you got a glimpse of here. I hope you liked it and are excited for what's to come.**

 **Lastly, for those of you wondering; yes, there will be romantic pairings in this story. Go ahead and take a guess at who the first couple is going to be. Still debating the idea on Lemons and all that, because I don't want to ruin the story with terrible material from someone who has no idea what they're doing.**


	3. The Start Of Something Special

Chapter Three – The Start Of Something Special

It had been almost two months to the day since Ichigo and his friends had set out on their journey, and that meant it was time for them to meet back at their designated meeting spot; the tea shop in South Rukon District 40.

During that time, Ichigo had become a hero to the people of West Rukon Districts 1 to 5 and, after much nagging and pushing from Tōshirō, he and Momo had now become a couple. While he was happy being with her, and not afraid to show it, he didn't show off about it or start bragging. He remained his usual, humble self, which made Momo adore him even more.

"So, it's tomorrow when you have to meet your friends for the first time since you departed?" Momo asked.

"Yeah, it's been a long time, so I'm looking forward to seeing them again." Ichigo smiled.

"Do… Do you think they'll like me?" Momo asked, feeling a little uneasy about meeting Ichigo's friends.

"Without a doubt; I'm sure you'll all be best friends by the end of tomorrow, and I'm sure Rukia would appreciate the friendship of another girl. You have nothing to worry about." Ichigo said, pulling Momo in for a hug and gently stroking the back of her head.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. It's nice being able to make new friends." Momo said with a content sigh.

"You're telling me. These guys are great. I mean, Renji's an idiot, but he's the kinda kid you just can't stay mad at for long. He's tenacious and has the willpower to achieve anything; that much I know." Ichigo said, speaking as if he's known Renji all his life. "Anyway, we should probably get some sleep. Don't want to be late for our meeting tomorrow, do we?" Ichigo asked, causing Momo to shake her head. He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, causing her to blush slightly.

"Goodnight, Momo."

"Goodnight, Ichigo."

* * *

Night had fallen over the Seireitei, but that didn't mean the place wasn't alive. The Soul Reapers who perform Night Patrols were out and about, making sure no-one was out past curfew, while outside the Squad Two Barracks, the men that were stationed to watch the main entrance were diligently keeping watch, both out of respect of their job, and out of fear over what Captain Soifon would do if she caught them slacking off.

"Have you noticed the Captain has been a little on edge these past couple of months? Ever since that Captain's Meeting they had, the one where she returned from looking furious, she's been much more volatile than usual." One of the guards said.

"Yeah, I noticed that too. She kicked the crap out of Lieutenant Ōmaeda the other day, simply for making her tea too hot. I mean, I think the guy's a royal prick, but even _he_ didn't deserve that." The other guard added, causing his comrade to nod in agreement.

"I don't know what happened in that meeting, but I don't think I've ever seen her _that_ angry before. If I had to guess, I'd assume Captain Ichimaru did something to provoke her. He's always causing mischief, and Captain Soifon definitely makes for an easy target."

Their conversation was brought to an abrupt halt when then heard a noise.

"Who's there?! Stop hiding in the shadows like a coward and show yourself!" The first guard yelled, holding up his lantern to see who was hiding in the darkness. A figure emerged from the shadows and began to speak.

"How ironic it is that the Stealth Force would call someone who hides in the shadows a coward, when they are trained to do exactly that." He said, as he approached the two men, who were now able to see who it was walking towards them.

"C-Captain Tōsen! I apologise, sir, I didn't know it was you." The guard said, bowing in apology.

"Is Captain Soifon in her quarters? I must speak to her immediately." Tōsen said, ignoring the man's apology.

"She is, sir, but she gave us strict instructions not to disturb her for any reason; not even for another Captain requesting to see her."

"Hmm, very well, but as soon as she is free, I demand to speak to her. It is of the utmost importance." Captain Tōsen didn't linger and before the guards could formulate a response, he had disappeared with the use of Flash Step.

* * *

As Captain Tōsen made his way back to his own quarters in Squad Nine, he began to mull over what had happened just a few hours ago.

"Excuse me, Captain Tōsen? May I speak to you sir?" A man asked as he waited outside the Captain's Office. Kaname knew it was one of the men from Squad Two that he had sent to look for Ichigo.

"You may enter. Do you have a progress report for me?" He asked, as he heard the door to his office slide open and the man took three steps forward and bowed before the blind Captain.

"Uhh, well, that's what I'm here about, sir…" The man began causing Kaname to look up at him. "We managed to find some friends of the boy we're looking, but they discovered we were looking for him and they were going to blow our operation, so we tried to stop them, and get them to tell us where we could find Ichigo Kurosaki, but they wouldn't tell us, so…"

"What did you do?" Kaname demanded more than asked, his voice sounded like ice, causing the man to stiffen in terror. While Kaname detested violence in any form, he was still one of the most fearsome Captains in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

"We… We killed them, sir. We couldn't risk them telling Ichigo Kurosaki that we were looking for him." The man managed to say while under the crushing gaze of the sightless Captain. He knew he had screwed up. Badly.

"Leave." Kaname simply said, causing the man to look at him, clearly confused.

"Sir?" He said, not sure if he heard him correctly.

"I will not ask again." Kaname whispered, causing another rush of terror to course through the man's body. Without another word, the man left Captain Tōsen's Office. With a sigh, Captain Tōsen sighed before he stood up from behind his desk. "I must inform Captain Aizen." He said and left for Squad Five with Flash Step.

* * *

It was late evening and the sun was setting when Kaname arrived outside Captain Aizen's office. He didn't even knock as Azien felt his spiritual pressure arrive just outside.

"Come in, Kaname." Aizen said, without looking up from the paperwork he was filing. He heard the door to his office slide open and then again as Kaname closed it.

"Pardon the intrusion, sir, but we have a problem." Kaname said, bowing to the bespectacled Soul Reaper.

"Oh?" Aizen looked at Kaname, now curious as to what this 'problem' was.

"The men I had tasked with finding Ichigo Kurosaki… It would appear they found some friends of his and made an attempt to coerce his whereabouts out of them, but they ended up killing them in the process. They did not gain the information they were looking for before they killed them."

"I see…" Aizen said, taking his glasses off and pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger before sighing. "This _is_ a problem. However, I shall leave you to deal with this situation as you see fit. I know justice is something you strive for, so I have no doubts you'll do what is right."

"I'll see to it that justice is served." Kaname said with a bow. "I apologise for any inconvenience I have caused." He said before leaving.

"Not to worry, Kaname. It is as I said before; one way or another, Ichigo Kurosaki _will_ be mine." Aizen said as he put his glasses back on and reorganised the paperwork on his desk. "Unless there is something else, you are free to go."

Without another word, Kaname bowed once more and left Aizen's office.

* * *

He had been deciding on how to handle the situation all evening. If he was honest with himself, he wanted to execute the man on the spot for his incompetence and then proceed to do the same with the other two, but he detested violence and killing in any form, and they were not his men to punish either.

He knew this was a delicate situation. Yes, the men had disobeyed orders, and that had resulted in the killing of innocent citizens of Rukongai, mere children at that, but for him to punish men that were not under his command was a grave sin. Captain Soifon was no idiot, so she would know if any of her men went missing or didn't turn up for training.

He was originally on his way to inform Soifon about what happened, and allow her to handle the situation herself, but when he was informed that she was _still_ in a volatile state, he really didn't want to disturb _that_ hornet's nest.

He had considered reporting the incident to the Head Captain and allowing him to deal with it, but he couldn't run the risk of him being scrutinised by the old man, or any investigations he might instigate.

Sighing and shaking his head, he decided that he'd just let the situation simmer for the time being. He wasn't about to let the men get away scot-free though. He would remind them that they would be punished for their transgressions, and wait for the right time to deliver said punishment.

And that's when it hit him.

He knew the men would be expecting retribution in some form, and he decided he'd give it to them… By doing absolutely nothing. The next time he saw them, he would remind them that they were to be punished and allow that fear to eat away at them. That way, he wouldn't have to inform anyone of what happened, the men would still be punished and he wouldn't need to resort to violence.

He smiled to himself and agreed this was the best course of action, and returned to his barracks to get some much needed rest.

* * *

The day had finally arrived when Ichigo was to meet his friends again for the first time in two months and he was feeling nervous. As he sat outside the tea shop in South Rukon District 40, he wondered whether or not he had done enough to help people in West Rukon in those two months and whether or not his friends had done more.

It wasn't a competition, but he would be rather ashamed of himself if he, the one who suggested and was spearheading this operation, hadn't done enough to help the citizens of the Rukongai. Momo noticed her boyfriend was tense, so she placed a hand on his thigh and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"You shouldn't be worried. I'm sure your friends will be happy to see you." She said softly, smiling at him.

"It's not that, it's just that I'm worried I haven't done enough to help people since we set out two months ago. I'm afraid that they'll believe I haven't tried hard enough." Ichigo said.

"Don't think like that! Everyone in West Rukon Districts 1 through 5 knows who you are and regard you as a hero. You've done more than enough!" Momo said, giving him a reassuring smile.

He placed his hand on top of hers and lightly stroked it with the pad of his thumb. The pair sat in silence until Ichigo heard someone call his name.

"Hey, Ichigo! Is that you?" The person yelled out, and Ichigo looked over to where the voice had come from and is jaw dropped.

Before him were two people, and were it not for the fact the male was sporting spiky red hair, he wouldn't have recognised them.

"R-Rukia?! Renji?! Is that really you?" He asked, looking at the duo, who walked over to him and sat down at his table opposite him.

The last time Ichigo saw the pair of them; they were short and were kids. Now, though, now they had both become considerably taller and looked much older. They looked as if they were the same age as him.

"What happened to you two? You look… Older." He said, resulting in Rukia smacking him over the head.

"You idiot! That's all you have to say after two months? Not 'Hi nice to see you again' or 'Hey, how have you been' but _that_?! What's the matter with you?!" She growled, clearly taking offence to Ichigo saying she was 'older'.

"C'mon, Rukia, don't be so hard on him, he doesn't know how things work here, remember?" Renji said, trying to calm down his short, angry friend.

"Oh, that's right… Sorry, Ichigo." She said with an apologetic smile.

"Nice to see you too. What do you mean 'I don't know how things work around here'?" He asked, still rubbing the part of his head where Rukia had hit him.

"I forgot you didn't know…" Rukia began, before clearing her throat. "You see, there comes a point in the life-cycle of the soul where it undergoes a rapid aging transformation. Over the space of a few days, the body grows and begins to fully develop, causing a child soul to become an adult soul. When it takes place varies from person to person, but all child souls undergo this transformation; it's just a matter of when."

"Soooo… You're saying you've already gone through puberty?" Ichigo asked, clearly confused by the way she decided to explain it.

"Well, I suppose that's another way of looking at it, but our transformation takes place in a few days, whereas it takes several years for humans. Pretty cool, huh?" Renji asked.

"That's one word for it…" Ichigo mumbled, clearly annoyed that they get to skip the whole 'awkward hormonal' stage of their life and get to be fully grown adults.

Rukia was about to respond when she looked to Ichigo's left and saw someone was sat next to him.

"Ichigo, who is this?" Rukia asked, pointing to Momo.

"Oh, I bet it's his girlfriend! Aww, how sweet!" Renji said in a mocking tone, before bursting into laugher.

"Yeah, she is. Why, are you jealous?" Ichigo asked in a serious voice, causing Renji to stop laughing.

"You-you're serious? Wow, ok… Did _not_ expect that…" He mumbled to himself, as Rukia decided to introduce herself.

"Hi, my name is Rukia. This idiot here is my friend, Renji; it's nice to meet you!" She said smiling and holding out her hand.

"Hi, Rukia, Renji; I'm Momo. I've heard quite a bit about you from Ichigo. He's been very excited to see you again after so long!" Momo said, returning the smile and handshake. It was at this time that Renji offered his hand too, which she also shook.

"Well, there are still more of us to meet. Speaking of, shouldn't they be here by now? I thought we'd be the last to arrive. I found this idiot sleeping in a tree." Rukia said, pointing at Renji.

"Hey! I don't have a go at you for sleeping where you're comfortable!" Renji said.

"You don't think they're running late, do you?" Ichigo asked, ignoring Renji.

"Are you kidding? You know Kenta; he looks up to you. He wouldn't be late for this at all." Rukia said.

"Yeah, and considering they were only in East Rukon, they should've been here way before us." Renji said, looking around, hoping to spot his three friends.

"Well, where abouts were you guys when you departed with them in East Rukon?" Ichigo asked.

"Uhh, well, we kinda got lost at one point, so we decided to part ways with them in East Rukon District 76; Sakahone." Renji said, causing Momo to gasp.

"What, what is it?" Rukia asked, concerned by the reaction Momo had upon hearing that name.

"Sakahone is a truly evil place. There are gangs, violence and many more dangerous things out there. Not to mention the extremists." Momo said, her voice sounding rather shaky.

"Huh? 'Extremists'? What do you mean?" Renji asked.

"Sakahone is home to the shrine of Mimihagi, who is worshipped as a God there. The Followers of Mimihagi are a cult of vicious extremists that kill anyone who walks onto their supposed 'Sacred Land' without offering a tribute."

"So? They had money; lots of it, thanks to Ichigo, so that's not a problem, right?" Renji asked. Even he wasn't so sure that his friends were safe anymore.

"No, you misunderstand; Mimihagi is worshipped as a God because he takes away any diseased or inoperable organs and replaces them with his own lifeforce and reishi. His followers do not want a tribute of money; they want a tribute of _human organs_." Momo whispered, causing the group to look at her with a mixture of shock and horror.

"That… That's just sick." Renji said after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, and if you do not give them the offering they desire, they will kill you without a second thought and take _your_ organs as a tribute." Momo said.

"My God… Is there anything we can do? Maybe there's still time to–" Rukia said, before being cut off.

"I'm afraid not. These followers do not take kindly to trespassers and they don't take hostages. They believe stress and emotional trauma 'ruins the quality of their sacrifices'." Momo said, causing the group to fall silent.

"Hey, just out of curiosity; how do you know all of this?" Renji asked, looking at Momo.

"Well, I'm from West Rukon District 1, so I was lucky enough to get some form of education, and that is one of the few things I learned about." Momo said sheepishly. She knew Rukia and Renji were from South Rukon District 76, and was afraid they'd judge her, because she was brought up in a safe, affluent district.

"Wow… Do you think you could teach Renji some proper manners? I know he's from Hanging Dog, but that doesn't mean he needs to act like one." Rukia asked, giggled at her red-headed friend, who merely scowled. Momo couldn't help but stifle a giggle too.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. What do we do now? Me and Rukia screwed up and were banished from North Rukon and our friends in East Rukon are probably dead. That's fantastic." Renji said, sighing.

"Ichigo, are you alright? You've been very quiet." Rukia looked at the orange haired teen, who had a pensive look on his face.

"I wasn't sure when and if I should bring this up, but now seems like the only decent time to do it." Ichigo took a deep breath and looked at his two friends. "I think we should become Soul Reapers." He said.

He was met with silence, as Rukia and Renji exchanged looks. The pair of them shared a look that made Ichigo think they'd been considering the notion for some time.

"I think that's a good idea. I was actually going to mention it today anyway, but I wanted to see what Kenta and the others thought at first. But since they're not here, looks like we have no other choice." Rukia said, looking at her friends.

"So, we're really going to do this?" Ichigo asked, giving his friends an opportunity to back out.

"Yeah, let's do it. If not for us, then for Kenta, Hiroshi, Masaru and all the people we couldn't help." Renji said, grinning, placing his hand in the middle of the table.

"I believe it's what they would've wanted." Rukia said, placing her hand on top of Renji's.

"Alright, then it's settled. We'll become Soul Reapers; to help all those that we couldn't help now." Ichigo said, placing his hand on top of Rukia's. He looked at the centre of the table and only noticed three hands. He looked over at Momo before asking her. "What about you, Momo? I know you want to be a Soul Reaper too."

"I do, yes, but I thought you were doing this for your friends? Since I never knew them, I don't know if they'd want me to do something like this for them." Momo said, sounding a little unsure.

"Nonsense, you're Ichigo's girlfriend. That would have been more than enough for them to accept you, Momo." Rukia said. "But if you feel uncomfortable with that, then how about you do it for us; together we can support each other to be the best we can be." She smiled at Momo, who returned the gesture in kind.

"Alright, I'm in." She smiled happily, placing her hand on top of Ichigo's.

* * *

About a week later, Squad Five Captain, Sōsuke Aizen was sat in his office when he felt a very distinct spiritual pressure closing in on the Seireitei. He looked up from his paperwork and smiled to himself.

"I knew it was only a matter of time, Ichigo Kurosaki." He rearranged the papers on his desk and left the Squad Five Barracks.

Meanwhile, over in the Squad One Barracks, Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake were enjoying some tea with their old master, Head Captain Yamamoto, when the old man suddenly raised an eyebrow.

"You feel it too, Old Man Yama?" Shunsui asked, taking a sip of tea.

"Yes, I had assumed it would happen eventually, but I had thought it wouldn't take this long." Yamamoto commented.

"Really? Nah, I figured it'd take longer, to be honest. Since they have such a high level of spirit energy, I'm sure countless people have tried persuading them to become a Soul Reaper, and if I were them, I'd've taken much longer to do it, simply because people were pushing me to." Shunsui chuckled, tipping his hat forward slightly as he leaned back in his chair.

"True, but not everyone is as lazy as you, Shunsui. I can't believe you manage to get all your work done." Jūshirō said, smirking at his oldest friend.

"Ah, that's why I have my little Nanao. She's a little uptight, and always makes sure everything is up-to-date in the squad, but I really wish she'd loosen up a little every now and then." He said, sighing.

"All work and no play makes Shunsui a dull boy, huh?" Jūshirō chuckled.

"Yeah; couldn't have said it better myself." Shunsui laughed. "However, I think this individual has massive potential; we could be feeling the presence of a future Captain."

"I agree. What do you think, Master Genryūsai?" Jūshirō turned to his mentor, who had a neutral expression.

"There is no doubt this individual has potential, and with such a high spiritual pressure, they do seem like Captain material, but it is down to them, what path they now choose. Whether or not they embrace their natural power is strictly down to them. We can help nurture that power, but it's ultimately their decision whether they make something of that power." Head Captain Yamamoto said wisely, causing both Jūshirō and Shunsui to nod in agreement; they couldn't have said it better themselves.

* * *

"Wow, this place is incredible! I've always dreamed of coming here!" Momo said, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Yeah, this place is pretty spectacular. You can see it from the top of Mount Koifushi, but seeing it from there doesn't do it justice." Ichigo said, looking at the sight before him with wonder.

He and Momo were stood outside the main gate to the Soul Reaper Academy. It's beautiful, white marble exterior, with yellow roof tiles that shone like gold in the sunlight, astounded them. Not only that, the sheer size of the building was also something to behold. It was immense; the sakura trees that were in bloom, the petals gently blowing across the courtyard, seemed miniature by comparison.

After all deciding that being Soul Reapers was the best thing they could do, they all went to the Soul Reaper Academy to take the entrance exam. Ichigo, Momo and Renji all passed the entrance exam with flying colours and were put in the 'Advanced Class'. Rukia, on the other hand struggled to pass her entrance exam, and was put in the 'Standard Class'. While she felt a little down to begin with, she decided that this was a good way to motivate her to do better, and be one of the best in her class.

"Man, where are they? It's almost time for class and they're still not here." Ichigo said, standing outside the main gate, looking for Renji and Rukia, who were still not here.

"Well, we've still got time. Maybe they'll be here soon." Momo said, as she grabbed her boyfriend's hand and smiled.

Not long after she said that, Ichigo saw a familiar and very distinct hairstyle in the distance; it was red and spiky and approaching fast. Ichigo knew immediately that it was Renji, and he could see Rukia running alongside him. It looked as if the two were arguing, because she did _not_ look happy.

"Gah, the next time you do something that stupid, I'm leaving you behind!" Rukia shouted at Renji as they arrived outside the Academy.

"Hey, I don't tell you where you can and can't sleep, so you can't tell me where I can and can't sleep, ok?!" Renji growled, glaring at his small female friend.

"Let me guess; he was sleeping in a tree again, wasn't he?" Ichigo asked; a deadpan expression on his face.

"Yep. Once again, his common sense is outmatched by his stupidity." Rukia replied.

"Ah, bite me. Trees are comfortable, plus I like the warm breezes that we get every now and then." Renji said as he stormed off inside the Academy.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the tree." Ichigo muttered, causing Momo to giggle.

"I heard that, Kurosaki!" Renji yelled as he carried on into the Academy.

* * *

"Good morning, students. I am Gengorō Ōnabara, and I am your instructor!" A large man with a bald head, a large pair of glasses and a simple gold pendant and chain spoke to the class. "First of all, I would like to welcome you all to the Spiritual Arts Academy and I would also like to congratulate each and every one of you one making it into the Advanced Class. However, as you are now part of the Advanced Class, you are my students and I expect nothing but the best from you all. I would also like to point out that each year; various Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads do indeed drop in from time to time to see which of the new students are showing potential. Impress them, and you might very well end up leaving here with a recommendation to join their Squad!" Ōnabara boomed, causing all the students to mutter excitedly.

"Just you watch, Ichigo; I'm gonna put all these pompous nobles and spoiled rich kids from District 1 to shame!" Renji said, grinning with determination.

"Hey! That's mean, Renji! I'm from District 1 too, remember?" Momo said, causing the grin to drop from Reni's face.

"Uhh, yeah… Sorry about that, Momo. But you know I don't think you're pompous or spoiled. I think you're great."

"Uh-huh…" Momo said, simply nodding at what Renji said, not believing a word he said.

"Now, if you'll all form a line in an orderly fashion, you can collect your own Asauchi before we begin our first class; Zanjutsu." Ōnabara declared.

"A what now?" One of the students asked.

"An Asauchi is what we call a Zanpakutō that has no name. It is merely a sword that is given to all Academy Students to learn the basics of combat. Over time, as you begin to forge a bond with your sword and your inner soul, the two will become connected, and your sword will change its appearance as a result of that. Now, if there are no more questions?" Ōnabara looked around the class and saw no-one had anything else to ask. With that, all the students formed a line and went out to the training field.

Once everyone had arrived on the training field and had been given their own Asauchi, they were randomly paired with a partner. Renji was paired with Ichigo and Momo was paired with someone called Izuru.

"So, Renji; are you ready to eat those words you were saying earlier?" Ichigo said, as he and Renji took their place on the battlefield.

"Pfft, as if. The way I see it; if I can beat you, then no-one will be able to stop me." Renji grinned as he took a fighting stance, sword drawn in front of him.

"I'd be careful if I were you; don't go writing cheques with your mouth that the rest of your body can't cash." Ichigo said, returning the grin and mirroring Renji's fighting pose.

"Now remember; this is just a sparring match to see what your basic combat abilities are like. There are no rules, and you will keep going until one of you submits, is unable to continue or we decide that it's getting too out of hand and step in to stop it." Ōnabara said in a serious tone. "Are you both ready?!"

"Yeah!" Ichigo and Renji said simultaneously, staring each other down.

"Begin!" Ōnabara yelled, as both Ichigo and Renji leapt at each other and met in the middle, their swords clashing, sending sparks everywhere.

Ichigo and Renji were equally matched; neither giving an edge as they both fought for the upper hand as everyone looked on. However, it was Renji who managed to take the advantage. He took half a step back and pulled his sword down, causing Ichigo, who was using all his strength to try and push Renji back, to stumble forward ever so slightly.

In an attempt to capitalise on his opponent's error, Renji swung his sword down at Ichigo, but underestimated his opponent's tenacity and resourcefulness. Instead of trying to regain his balance, Ichigo simply let gravity take over and as the ground rose up to meet him, he rolled through the fall, swinging his sword out in an arc in front of him as he rolled up and turned around. It was meant to create a defensive barrier to keep Renji at bay, should he try to get close while he was vulnerable to an attack, but he ended up striking Renji in the back of his leg, causing him to jump out of the way, so as to avoid another strike.

Ichigo stood up and the pair exchanged blows once again, their blades colliding in the middle; the sound of metal rang out across the battlefield and sparks were sent flying with each clash. Ichigo decided he would go on the offensive this time, as he went in for another strike, he twisted his sword so the blade was facing upwards.

Renji took the bait and once again their blades clashed, but this time Ichigo caught Renji off guard as he pushed his sword up, leaving his entire torso exposed. Renji's eyes widened in shock as he saw his opponent had a big opening to strike, yet no strike came to his torso. Instead, he felt a stinging sensation on his cheek.

After Ichigo had pushed his sword up to counter Renji, he backhanded him across the face; the ultimate insult to a swordsman.

"Oooooh!" Everyone watching cried out, as the sound of the slap echoed around the area. It sounded just as painful as it felt.

"Heh…" Renji chuckled, as he spat out a bit of blood. "I really felt that one."

"Well, there's plenty more where that came from." He smirked as he readied another offensive stance.

* * *

It was mid-morning in the Soul Society, and the Captains were all going about their usual, daily activities; training the men and women under their command, training their own skills with one another, or doing paperwork. However, all of them stopped what they were doing when they felt an incredible pulse of spiritual pressure emanate across the Seireitei.

"Hey, Jūshirō, did you feel that just now?" Shunsui asked as he and his long-time friend paused their sparring session.

"I did. It's that immense spiritual pressure that we've all been feeling for a few months now…" Jūshirō commented, looking over in the direction of the Soul Reaper Academy.

"I don't know about you, but this has gained my interest." He said with a smirk before he sheathed his swords and vanished with a Flash Step. Jūshirō sheathed his sword and followed the laid-back Captain.

* * *

Over in Squad Eleven, Captain Kenpachi Zaraki wasn't training his subordinates, his own skills, nor was he doing paperwork. Instead, he was lying out in the courtyard of his Squad's barracks sleeping, when he suddenly woke up and sat up, gaining the attention of his Lieutenant.

"Huh? Is something wrong, Kenny?" Yachiru asked as she looked up from the drawing she was doing. Her drawing just so happened to be all over an important document that the Head Captain had expected Zaraki to fill out, regarding his last mission, but he never cared for that 'bureaucratic bullshit' anyway.

"No, but I feel an incredible sensation coming from…" He trailed off as he began to locate where the spiritual pressure was coming from. Captain Zaraki wasn't known for his sensory prowess (neither was his Lieutenant), but you'd have to be brain-damaged to not know where _this_ spiritual pressure was coming from. A wicked grin formed on the bloodthirsty Captain's face. "Yachiru, fancy going on an adventure?"

"An adventure?! Yaaaay!" She yelled excitedly before dropping her crayons and leaping onto Kenpchi's back. "Let's go, Kenny! To adventure! Mush, Kenny! Mush!" She shouted, prompting the battle-loving madman to take off, crashing _through_ the doors to his barracks, rather than actually stopping to open them.

* * *

"Excuse me, Captain, I finished those reports you asked for." Lieutenant Ōmaeda said, holding a stack of papers in his large, ring covered hands.

Captain Soifon had spent the morning overseeing the training of the Stealth Force from the balcony that formed part of her office when she felt that same pulse of spiritual pressure from the Academy.

"Leave them on my desk, I'll look at them when I return, and if I find any crumbs anywhere in my office, Marechiyo, I'm going to beat your ass all the way across the Seireitei!" She growled before disappearing with Flash Step.

"I hate it when she does that…" Marechiyo sighed as he sauntered in to the Captain's office, carefully placing the reports on her desk and taking extra care not to touch or make a mess of anything as he left.

* * *

The Squad Six barracks were rather silent that morning. Captain Ginrei Kuchiki had given all his subordinates the morning off so they could pursue extra forms of education. Ginrei strongly believed that the sharpest weapon in a Soul Reaper's arsenal was the mind, so he would frequently allow his officers time off to learn about the history of the Soul Society, Soul Reapers, Hollows and new methods of combat. The only two people who were present in the Squad Six barracks were Ginrei and his Lieutenant and Grandson, Byakuya.

"Pardon me, Grandfather, but did you feel that?" Byakuya asked, as he looked up from his desk to the current Kuchiki Clan Head.

"I did indeed. Would you like to accompany me to the source? I think it's high time we see just _who_ this spiritual pressure belongs to." Ginrei said as he stood up from his desk.

Byakuya really had no interest in who the origin of this spiritual pressure was, but he knew that, as the next in line as both the Head of the Kuchiki Clan and Captain of Squad Six, he needed to take in interest in those who exhibited incredible amounts of spirit energy, as he knew it would be very foolish to ignore it, simply because it wasn't as strong as his, or that it came from someone who wasn't of Noble birth. Reluctantly, he stood up, but Ginrei noticed his hesitation and sighed.

"Oh, Byakuya… You must really learn to be more open and receptive to these sorts of things. As a Captain, you'll be expected to look past a person's lineage and look at who they are as a person and what sort of potential they carry. There are times when people who are not born with Nobility in their blood inhibit large reserves of spirit energy; you should not look down on them for that."

"Of course, Grandfather… I apologise." Byakuya said, bowing to his Captain.

With a curt nod, Ginrei left the office with a Flash Step, prompting Byakuya to do the same.

* * *

"What's this? That strange spiritual pressure is here, at the Soul Reaper Academy? Not only that, but it's actually _increasing_?! My, my, my, this is indeed most interesting and should prove valuable to my research." Captain Kurotsuchi looked up from the experiment he was working in his lab and over to his Lieutenant. "Nemu! I am going out! Keep an eye on things here and should you need any assistance, go find Akon!" Mayuri growled as he stormed out of his lab.

"Yes, Master Mayuri." Nemu said in monotone, bowing to her Captain and creator as he left the lab, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"Is that all you got? I'm disappointed, Ichigo!" Renji taunted, as his opponent wiped the blood off his cheek, where Renji had managed to get lucky and cut him.

"I'm not finished yet!" He yelled as he charged at his friend, going on the offensive once again. The two swordsmen met in the middle of the field and crossed swords once again.

They met each other, blow for blow, blocking or parrying each strike. Ichigo feigned an attack, causing Renji to parry nothing, allowing Ichigo to strike. He slashed at Renji's chest, cutting the redhead from his left shoulder diagonally across his chest. It was a shallow wound, but deep enough to draw blood and make Renji stumble back.

Much to Renji's credit, he didn't take long to recover and go back on the offensive, surprising Ichigo. Their swords clashed again, and neither combatant was giving an inch to their opponent, locked in a stalemate as everyone looked on, clearly impressed by the display these two rookies were putting on for them.

It was while they were locked together in battle that they had a few surprise guests turn up. Almost in unison, several people arrived from what seemed to be out of nowhere, and began to silently observe the battle.

"No way! It can't be!" One student whispered in shock.

"Those are some of the Captains from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads!" Another breathed, in awe of the sight before them.

"Incredible. I don't think I've ever heard of Captains coming to spectate on a sparring match at the Academy before!" Izuru said, causing Momo to look at him, then to the people who had arrived. All of them were wearing white coats, with the exception of one man, who stood behind an old man with a white coat on.

"They're Captains? Wow, they look so impressive!" Momo said, looking at the five Captains that were present. She noticed one was a female and other one wore a wide brimmed hat that covered most of his face and he had a pink kimono on over his white coat. The man next to him had long white hair and an impressed look on his face. The other Captain who had arrived was wearing a very peculiar form of hat and had a black and white painted face. The look he had while observing the fight made Momo feel very uncomfortable.

"Who are they?" Ichigo asked, as he and Renji looked over to see who came to spectate on their match.

"Those are Captains, you idiot. You should at least know _that much_." Renji said with a malicious grin. He was determined to make an impression on the Captains who had arrived, and put them on notice.

Using Ichigo's confusion as an opening, he kicked the orange haired teen in the gut, knocking the wind out of him as he fell to the floor.

"Ohhh… Oh, God, that hurts." Ichigo said in a strained manner, as he tried to catch his breath again.

" _Get up_." A voice commanded. Ichigo looked around, but couldn't see who said it, or where the voice came from. Ignoring it, he got back to his feet and prepared for another incoming attack.

Renji charged in, hoping to catch Ichigo off guard with a quick attack, but was blocked by his opponent's sword.

" _Stop messing around. Fight back!_ " Again, Ichigo heard the same voice, commanding him.

"Dammit, would you shut up?!" Ichigo growled, becoming irritated.

"Who are you talking to, Ichigo? I never said anything." Renji asked, looking rather worried and confused.

Ichigo broke the stalemate and pushed Renji back. He took a stance, ready to attack again.

" _Ichigo, listen to me. Focus all the energy in your body to your feet. As soon as you do, jump forward._ " Once again the voice spoke, telling him what to do. Somehow it knew Ichigo's name, and that made him even more annoyed.

"Would you just shut up?!" Ichigo yelled, causing everyone to look at him with concern.

"Ichigo, what's the matter with you?" Renji looked at his friend with worry. "No-one said anything."

All the Captains that were currently present exchanged a quick glance. Could it really be possible?

" _Stop this foolishness and do as I say! If you want to win this, focus all your energy into your feet, then leap towards your opponent. DO IT!_ " The voice practically yelled at him, causing him to growl in anger, but he did what he was told.

He stood still in a defensive stance, with his eyes closed, focusing all of his energy to his feet. Renji, who had decided to launch yet another offensive and began to charge Ichigo.

What Renji didn't know, was that Ichigo's spiritual pressure was rapidly increasing. All the Captains and even Byakuya could feel its incredible strength.

"This is truly incredible…" Jūshirō whispered, not wanting to break the combatant's concentration.

Renji was closing in on Ichigo, when he suddenly opened his eyes.

" _NOW! LEAP FORWARD NOW!_ " The voice roared, and Ichigo obeyed.

Ichigo leaped at Renji, only to disappear in front of the red-head, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. A split second later, Ichigo appeared behind Renji and delivered a strong slash to his back, causing his friend to collapse to the ground.

"The match goes to Kurosaki!" Ōnabara declared, after getting over the initial shock of what he just saw transpire.

He wasn't the only one. Everyone present just looked at the orange haired teen with shock. Even the Captains couldn't believe what they had seen.

"Did he just–?!" Shunsui said, removing his hat to get a better look at Ichigo.

"That was Flash Step! How in the hell did an Academy Student pull _that_ off?!" Soifon said; her voice filled with shock.

"Incredible… This boy has the potential to become a marvellous Soul Reaper one day." Ginrei said, nodding.

"Oh, my… This one is just full of surprises. My research would benefit greatly from some experiments on him." Mayuri chuckled, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

"Ichigo, that was amazing! I didn't know you could use Flash Step!" Momo said, her eyes filled with wonder and astonishment.

"Use what? Flash Step? Is that what it's called?" Ichigo asked, scratching the back of his head.

"You mean to say you don't even know what you did?!" Izuru said, looking at the orange haired teen with surprise.

"Nope. I just heard a voice and it told me what I should do." Ichigo shrugged.

"A voice? What do you mean?" Izuru asked.

"Like I said, I heard a voice and it told me to–" Ichigo began, before he was interrupted by a loud boom.

Everyone present looked over to where the sound came from, and saw a large hole in the wall and an even larger man walking through it. He was really tall and had black hair that was styled into giant points and had bells on the end. He was wearing an eye-patch over his right eye and he was wearing a Captain's coat that was tattered, dirty and torn at the sleeves. He arrived with a wicked grin on his face.

"Alright, where is the person with that incredible spiritual pressure?! I want to see them fight!" He yelled.

"I'm afraid you're too late, Captain Zaraki. The fight is over." Shunsui said with a smirk.

"Oh, whaaaat?! Did ya hear that, Kenny! We missed it!" A small girl with pink hair popped up from behind the large Captain.

"Damn it, Yachiru! I told you we should've taken that first left, not right!" Kenpachi growled.

"Hey, don't get angry at me, mister. You were the one who said we should go right first, not left." She said, pouting.

"Why do you always do this? You're the one who claims to know where to go, and we always get lost. Next time, I'm going to follow my instincts…" Zaraki said as he walked back through the hole and down the street to his barracks, arguing with his Lieutenant until they could no longer be heard.

"Looks like I'll go inform the repair teams that Captain Zaraki has made _yet another_ hole in a wall…" Shunsui sighed as he disappeared with Flash Step, not before looking over at Ichigo, nodding at him and smiling.

Soifon didn't even acknowledge Ichigo; she simply turned and left the battlefield. Ginrei stood there for a moment, closely examining Ichigo. After he was done, he simply nodded at the boy and left. Jūshirō, on the other hand, was different. Instead of ignoring Ichigo, or only looking at him before leaving, he actually went up to Ichigo and introduced himself.

"Hello, young man, I am Jūshirō Ukitake, Captain of Squad Thirteen. I have to say, I am incredibly impressed by the display you put on just before. I think you'll be a wonderful Soul Reaper." He smiled warmly at Ichigo.

"Hi, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, and thank you, Captain; I have to say I even surprised myself at the end there." Ichigo said, rubbing the back of his head.

"I would think so. I don't think I've ever seen an Academy Student achieve Flash Step so fast. Plus you have an impressive amount of spirit energy as well. It's rather wild though, but with time and diligent training, I'm sure you'll master control over it." Jūshirō looked at Ichigo for a moment, causing him to grow confused.

"Is something wrong, Captain?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, no, not at all; it's just you look a lot like my Lieutenant. The resemblance between the pair of you is uncanny." Jūshirō waved a hand dismissively and smiled. "Well I shan't keep you, you students must be very busy, and I don't want to disrupt your education. Good luck, Ichigo, and I hope to see you graduate with flying colours." Jūshirō smiled once more before he too left the battlefield.

"Alright, next up is Momo Hinamori and Izuru Kira!" Ōnabara called out, causing Momo to look over at the blond haired boy nervously. Izuru simply smiled at Momo, which eased her nerves slightly and the pair went to take their places on the field.

"Hey…" Ichigo said softly, as he grabbed Momo's arm and pulled her in for a kiss. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." He smiled at his girlfriend, who went red from the kiss.

"Y-yeah! I won't be as impressive as you were, but I'll do my best!" She said, and with that, she ran out to the field to face Izuru.

As Izuru and Momo took to the field, before taking a fighting stance, Izuru bowed respectfully to his opponent, which Momo responded to in kind.

"Good luck, Momo. I hope I prove to be worthy opponent." He said calmly.

"Good luck to you too, Izuru." Momo said, smiling at the blond as she took a fighting stance, ready to cross swords with him.

"Begin!" Ōnabara's voice boomed as the two leapt at each other, determined to win.

* * *

The rest of the day was filled with surprises for the Soul Reaper hopefuls. After Zanjutsu practice, in which Momo ended up defeating Izuru after an impressive display, the class took a short break before they learned Kidō.

It was here Izuru excelled, along with Momo, but Ichigo and Renji struggled. Ichigo's problem was there was too much power behind his spells and not enough control, causing him to miss the targets and blow a hole in the wall that would even make Captain Zaraki proud.

Renji, on the other hand, had absolutely no control over his spells and ended up blowing himself up with Hadō Number 31; Shakkahō. This resulted in him being scolded by his tutor and being forced to take extra classes in order to make up for his disastrous errors.

However, the biggest shock of the day for Ichigo came when they were in class learning about Medical Kidō, which was being taught by Squad Four Captain, Retsu Unohana.

"Good afternoon, everyone; I am Squad Four Captain, Retsu Unohana, and I am here to teach you all about Medical Kidō." She smiled while looking at all the students. "Medical Kidō is one of the most basic forms of Kidō, but is also the most important. To be able to heal your wounds, as well as the wounds of your comrades while in battle, can mean all the difference between winning and losing."

"So, how exactly does it work, Captain?" One student asked.

"The basic technique itself is quite simple. All you have to do is focus your spirit energy into your hands while focusing on your patient's wounds. How it works is like this; as you focus your spirit energy into your hands, you're able to channel that into the body of the person who has been injured. This in turn facilitates the restoration of spirit energy. By doing this, you're able to restore the physical body with your own spirit energy, combined with that of the spirit energy of the wounded individual. That also means restoring any spirit energy while the body is in perfect health is no trouble at all." Captain Unohana explained, causing the students to nod and talk amongst themselves in understanding.

"Excuse me, Captain; do you think we could have a demonstration?" Another student asked.

"Why, of course. Who'd like to volunteer?" She asked, looking at the class.

"If you could heal me, that would be great; I'm still not at a hundred percent after my sparring session this morning." Renji said, raising his hand.

"I see… Well, come on down and let's take a look at the extent of your injuries." Captain Unohana smiled as she beckoned Renji to join her in front of the whole class. "Now, where are you experiencing the most discomfort?" She asked.

"That would be on my back, I got cut pretty badly and I don't think the medical staff really knew what they were doing." Renji muttered as Captain Unohana removed the top half of his uniform to see his torso was completely bandaged up. On his back, she could see a large streak of blood, where the wound had obviously come apart and bled out throughout the day.

"Oh, my… That does look rather painful." She said as she undressed the wound. "Who did this to you?" She asked; her voice full of concern.

"That would be my pal, Ichigo. He and I were sparring and he managed to defeat me by using Flash Step and cutting me down." Renji said.

"Hey! I told you that it was an accident and I apologised for it! What more do you want from me?!" Ichigo yelled, standing up and pointing at his red headed friend.

"Well, maybe _you_ should be the one to heal my wounds! It was _you_ who caused them!" Renji shouted back.

"That's actually not a bad idea. Ichigo, would you like to come down here?" She looked at Ichigo and smiled.

"Uhh, no, I'm alright with just observing." He said.

"Ichigo, I believe you would greatly benefit from learning how to heal people's wounds. Please, come down here." Captain Unohana still had a sweet smile on her face, but her words managed to frighten Ichigo. There was something about the way she said them that told him not to refuse.

"Uhh, did I say 'no'? Wh-what I meant to say was… Uhh… 'Sure, I'd love to'?" Ichigo said, causing Captain Unohana to nod, that kind smile never leaving her face. Ichigo could have sworn the temperature in the room dropped by several degrees.

He eventually made his way down to the front of the class. Now that Captain Unohana got a proper look, she couldn't help but comment on his looks.

"Goodness, Captain Ukitake wasn't joking when he said you look like Lieutenant Shiba. The resemblance is uncanny." She said, closely examining his face.

"Sounds like I've gotta meet this Lieutenant Shiba then. If both you and Captain Ukitake say I look like him, then there must be some resemblance. Now that you mention it, I think his brother; that pig-straddler, Ganju, said I look like him too." Ichigo said, scratching his head in thought.

"Well, let's hope you're a better medic than he was. Lieutenant Shiba never could get the hang of it." Unohana chuckled at the memories of her trying to teach Kaien and watching him get more and more frustrated with every failure.

"Uhh, hello? I don't wanna sound like a jerk or anything, but it's freezing in here and my back is still wounded. Do you think you can hurry it up, Ichigo?" Renji said sarcastically, causing Ichigo to scowl at his friend.

Captain Unohana walked Ichigo through how to perform Healing Kidō and when she believed he was ready, she let him attempt to heal Renji's wounds.

Ichigo channelled his spirit energy into his hands and placed them over Renji's back. After a few minutes, he noticed that the wound was slowly starting to close. After several more minutes, Ichigo had successfully healed the wound on Renji's back.

"Very well done, Ichigo!" She beamed. "It's almost like the wound never existed. You're definitely a quick study of the Healing Arts; much like Kaien's uncle, Isshin was. He was my best and brightest student."

"Wh-what did you just say?" Ichigo turned and looked at Captain Unohana with shock etched into his face.

"Hmm? Isshin Shiba. He was one of my best students when he attended the Soul Reaper Academy. He eventually became the Captain of Squad Ten, before his vanished while on assignment in the World of the Living more than twenty years ago." Captain Unohana looked at the orange haired teen with confusion.

"Was he tall with black hair and brown eyes? With a scruffy beard too?" Ichigo asked, causing Captain Unohana to look at him with surprise.

"Yes, that's exactly how he looked the last time I saw him. How do you know him, Ichigo?" Unohana asked, her curiosity growing by the second.

"I know him because that man is my father. Except his name is Isshin Kurosaki and he's a doctor." Ichigo responded, struggling to process the information he just received.

"Then that would mean Lieutenant Kaien Shiba is your cousin… I suppose that explains the mystery behind how you two look alike." Unohana said as an out loud thought more than anything.

"Ichigo… You mean to say your old man was a Soul Reaper Captain and you never knew?" Renji asked, looking at his friend with surprise.

"No… He never told me anything about his past. He said he went to Medical School very far away then moved back home to be with my mom…"

"Perhaps that would explain your large levels of spirit energy. The Shiba Clan are one of the four great Noble Families of the Soul Society, along with the Kuchiki Clan and the Shihōin Clan. The members of those noble houses are born with incredible levels of spirit energy." Unohana explained.

"Soooo, what you're saying is… Ichigo is nobility? Wow, who would've guessed? You certainly don't look or act like a noble." Renji commented, sniggering at the comment until Ichigo punched him in the head.

"You think this is time to make jokes, pea-brain?! This is serious, now shut the hell up!" Ichigo growled before turning back to Captain Unohana. "Captain Unohana, do you think it would be possible for me to meet Kaien at some point?"

"Of course. If you'd like, I can ask Captain Ukitake the next time I see him, and have Lieutenant Shiba come talk to you." She said.

"Thank you, Captain; that would be great." He smiled, bowing to the female Captain.

"You are more than welcome. Now, back to your seats; just because you're from a Noble House doesn't mean things will be easier. Now everyone will be expecting great things from you, and be watching your progress at all times." Unohana chuckled as she saw a look of horror cross Ichigo's face.

"That's great… That's just what I need; more people watching me." Ichigo sighed as he and Renji walked back to their seats and resumed the class on Medical Kidō.

* * *

"Wow, Ichigo! You're from a Noble House?! That's so cool!" Momo said, holding onto Ichigo's arm as both of them, along with Renji and Izuru sat outside under a sakura tree.

"I have to admit, I did think it was strange; an ordinary soul having such large reserves of spirit energy, but now it makes sense. It's because you're from a Noble House, you're blessed with a large amount of spirit energy." Izuru said, as he lay down on the grass and looked up at the sky.

"Yeah, maybe, but that doesn't matter. I'm still Ichigo Kurosaki, and I don't want you to treat me any differently, alright? Nobility or not, I'm still the same person." Ichigo said to his friends, who all nodded in agreement.

"Wait a minute, Ichigo. If you're a Shiba, and you're related to Kaien, wouldn't that make Ganju a relative too?" Momo asked, causing Ichigo to go pale at the sudden realisation.

* * *

Across the Seireitei, in the Squad Three Barracks, a bored Gin Ichimaru was trying to pass the time by building a house of cards. He had seen humans doing it while on assignment in the World of the Living, thought it looked fun and decided to try it himself. He had almost finished building a medieval fortress out of playing cards when a loud scream echoed across the Seireitei, causing him to destroy his marvellous creation.

"No! Not my castle!" He cried in shock and horror.

He went outside and tried to discern where the scream had come from.

"Hmm… Looks like it came from the Academy. I wonder what's going on over there to cause people to scream. Perhaps Captain Zaraki busted through the wall of the ladies' restroom again. That man has no sense of direction; neither does his Lieutenant for that matter. Ah well, back to my cards." Gin sighed as he walked back inside to his office, whistling an upbeat tune as he went.

* * *

"Oh, come on, Ichigo. It can't be that bad." Renji commented.

"'Can't be that bad?' You must be out of your damn mind!" Ichigo shouted. "I'm related to that smelly ass pig-straddler! It can't get much worse than that!"

"As much as I would love to sit here and debate the pros and cons of Nobility with you, I have an extra Kidō class to attend." Renji said, standing up and stretching. "Oh, and thanks for fixing my back, pal. I gotta say, you're pretty good at that Medical Kidō. I think Captain Unohana's found her new star pupil!" Renji said in a mocking tone as he rushed off before Ichigo could respond.

"The only stars you'll be seeing are the ones spinning around your head after I kick the crap out of you, Pineapple Head!" Ichigo yelled, but Renji had already disappeared.

"So, you're the kid everyone's been talking about, huh?" A voice from behind Ichigo said, causing him to turn around.

Standing before him was another male student of the Academy. He had short black hair and grey eyes. Around his neck was a black studded choker and his Zanpakutō was strapped to his back. The most distinguishing feature of the boy was the '69' tattoo he had on his left cheek.

Behind him stood another male who was rather tall and had short black hair and a female who had short brown hair that was partly tied up on the right side of her head held in place by a hairclip with two red pearls on it. Both of them also had their Zanpakutō strapped to their backs.

"Huh? Who are you?" Ichigo asked, looking at the trio who had just arrived.

"I'm Shūhei Hisagi; sixth year. This is Aoga and Kanisawa; also sixth year. I don't know who you are, but let me make one thing perfectly clear; you're nothing special. Just because you claim to be a Shiba doesn't mean a damn thing, and if you think it does, then we're going to have a serious problem." Shūhei glared at Ichigo, who returned the icy stare.

"Tch, sounds like someone's intimidated. Why's that; are you afraid people are going to stop paying attention to you and focus on someone else? Well, my heart bleeds for you, but that's not really my concern." Ichigo said, looking Shūhei dead in the eyes.

"Ichigo…" Momo said nervously. She never was a fan of conflict and tried to talk down anyone who was hostile.

"What's the matter? You're little girlfriend seems scared. At least she's smart enough to know not to mess with Shūhei." Kanisawa mocked, causing Ichigo to turn his glare on her.

"Listen, bitch, you better leave her alone. Your boyfriend is the one with the problem, so why don't you back the hell off?!" Ichigo shouted.

"Ichigo, I don't think this is such a good idea. Do you know who this guy is? He's very talented and has even been on missions with the Thirteen Court Guard Sqauds." Izuru said quietly, hoping to settle the rising tension, but it was heard by Shūhei.

"What's the matter? Aren't you man enough to fight your own battles? Or is it because you think that you're a Noble you can make others do your dirty work for you?" Shūhei growled.

Ichigo looked at Shūhei was a surprised stare before he began to laugh. As he was laughing, he turned to Momo and Izuru and jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Shūhei, before he stopped laughing and immediately punched Shūhei in the face, causing blood to start pouring from his nose. Shūhei dropped like a bag of rocks after which, Ichigo went down and grabbed him by the collar and glared at him.

"Let's get one thing straight here. I may very well be a part of the Shiba Clan, but I'm a Kurosaki through and through. I _never_ make others do stuff for me and I always stand up to bastards like you who think they're better than everyone else." Ichigo spat.

"Alright then, Kurosaki, let me give you some advice; from now on, watch your back, because you just made a very dangerous enemy." Shūhei said as he stood up and walked away, refusing help from both Kanisawa and Aoga.

"Man, what a prick." Ichigo muttered before he turned back to his two friends, who both looked uneasy.

"I don't think that was such a good idea, Ichigo. That was Shūhei Hisagi. He's incredibly well known and well liked around here. It's been rumoured that he's already been offered a Seated Officer's position within one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." Izuru said, looking rather worried for his friend's safety.

"Ah, who cares? That guy needed a little dose of reality. He can't expect to intimidate others simply because they're different. He deserved it." Ichigo shrugged.

"Perhaps, but I think you might've overdone it just a little. He looked serious when he said you made a dangerous enemy." Momo said.

"Don't you worry about me, Momo; I've dealt with worse people than that guy. He's a chump." Ichigo said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, but how many people have you fought that was carrying a sword?" Izuru asked.

"Well, I've had people carry wooden swords and Kendo sticks, but not real ones. And, hey, I've got my own sword too, y'know." Ichigo smirked, lightly tugging on the sword that was strapped to his back.

"I hope you know what you're doing Ichigo…" Izuru said.

"C'mon, let's go find Renji. Hopefully he'll blow himself up again with another failed attempt at Shakkahō." Ichigo said, as he began to run off to the training area where Renji was taking extra classes in Kidō.

* * *

Kaien Shiba was sat in his office, stressing over his duties as Lieutenant when Captain Unohana arrived.

"Oh, man, there's so much paperwork I have to complete, and that's not even mentioning the Daily Squad Reports and Weekly Training Schedules that I have to complete, and with Captain Ukitake's ailing health, I have to file his paperwork too! How did you do it, Uncle Isshin…?" He said to himself before he heard a knock on his door. "Yes? Who is it?" He asked, and got his answer when the door slid open and he saw Captain Unohana standing there.

"Good evening, Lieutenant Shiba." She began. "May I come in?"

"Good evening, Captain Unohana. What can I do for you, ma'am?" He asked, bowing to the Captain.

"Actually, it's not what you can do for me, but what I can do for you." Unohana said cryptically as she entered his office and shut the door.

"I'm afraid I don't follow, Captain. What's going on?" Kaien said, growing more confused by the moment.

"Has Captain Ukitake spoken to you about a young Academy Student named Ichigo Kurosaki?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah… He _did_ mention someone by that name earlier. Orange hair, huge spirit energy reserves, says he looks a lot like me?" Kaien said, summarising the description that Jūshirō had given him.

"Yes, but that's not all. I was at the Academy teaching his class about Medical Kidō and I discovered that he's a Shiba. You're cousin to be exact. His father is Isshin." Unohana stated, causing Kaien to look at the Captain with wide eyes and his jaw hanging open.

"A-are you sure? He actually said that? Then why is he not Ichigo Shiba?" Kaien asked.

"I'm certain. I said that Isshin was one of my best students at the Academy and he described him perfectly. There's no way he could make that up, or have it been a coincidence that this boy's father sounds exactly what Isshin looks like, as well as sharing the same name. He said Isshin's name wasn't Isshin Shiba, but Isshin Kurosaki."

"B-but… Wh-wha…? I have to meet this kid." Kaien said, gathering his thoughts.

"Of course, I'll let him know to expect you at some point soon." Unohana said, as she was on her way out. "Oh, Lieutenant?" Unohana looked back at Kaien, who raised an eyebrow. "Isshin never did any of his paperwork; he pushed it on to his Lieutenant, who ended up dumping his and her paperwork onto their Third Seat. No wonder he begged to change Squads." She said, chuckling as she left. Kaien could only grin at what she had told him.

"Yeah, that sounds like Uncle Isshin…" Kaien said to himself as he sat down at his desk to finish his paperwork.

* * *

 **A/N; Chapter Three is done! Alright, this took longer than anticipated for two reasons. The first being I wasn't sure where I should end it, or how to work some of Ichigo's past into the story. Secondly, I ended up getting incredibly demotivated and began to think what I'm writing is trash, so I kinda stopped for a while until I forced myself to carry on. I hope the overall quality of the story hasn't been lowered because of that.**

 **I want to point out that I know the story is a little skewed compared to canon material. Isshin and Rangiku both pushed their paperwork onto their Third Seat, but for those of you who don't know, that was Tōshirō. In my story, he's not going to become a Soul Reaper for quite some time. Also, I don't think it states anywhere in Canon Material that Isshin is actually Kaien, Kukaku and Ganju's Uncle, but I feel like that's a good way to go. Yes, all who guess guessed right; this is also an IchigoxMomo Fanfic… For now.**

 **The person who left that large review (whose name escapes me and I deeply apolgise for that), while this story will include Tōshirō, Rangiku, Momo and others, they'll only be supporting roles, as in they'll appear and be part of the story when they're needed, but the story won't focus on them (this is a story that focuses on Ichigo and those who interact with him), which is why Rukia won't be in the story for a while, as she and Ichigo are in separate classes and won't cross paths that much for the foreseeable future.**

 **Lastly, please leave a review and tell me how I'm doing. It'll mean a lot to me.**


	4. Contact

Chapter Four – Contact

Ichigo had been at the Soul Reaper Academy for several months now and was beginning to settle in quite well. He was top of his class in Zanjutsu, which he would always rub in Renji's face, and while he was getting better at Kidō, a class in which Momo excelled and he was really happy for her, he seemed to possess natural talent for Medical Kidō, so much so that Captain Unohana decided to take him under her wing and give him extra medical training, when time permitted.

"Good afternoon, Ichigo." Captain Unohana greeted the orange haired boy as he entered the Squad Four Barracks.

Normally, Academy Students aren't allowed to wander the Seireitei. They're restricted to the Academy grounds, which were by no means small, but there were exceptions. If your presence had been requested by a Captain or Lieutenant, then Academy Students were generally granted access to the areas of the Seireitei that are under the jurisdiction of the Squad said Captain or Lieutenant belonged to.

"Good afternoon, Captain Unohana. You wished to see me?" Ichigo asked as he bowed in greeting to the Captain.

"Yes, I think it's time we apply what you've learned in class to real life. Do you think you're ready for such a test of your abilities?" She asked, smiling at him.

Ichigo wasn't quite sure what to say. He knew he had learned a lot from classes and his extra lessons from Captain Unohana, but he felt a bit apprehensive about applying his training to real life situation. Despite the apprehension, he knew no-one else was going to receive this kind of training, especially not from the Squad Four Captain, the Soul Society's best Medic.

"Yes, I believe I am ready, Captain." He said with determination.

"Wonderful. Isane, would you come in here, please?" Unohana called out.

A few moments later, a tall girl with grey eyes and short, messy silver hair entered the room. Her hair was styled into two thin braids on the right side of her head and she had a pair of thin red, dangling earrings. She was wearing the standard Soul Reaper uniform and had a badge on her left arm.

"Isane, I'd like you to meet Ichigo Kurosaki. He's currently studying at the Soul Reaper Academy and seems to have a natural talent for Medical Kidō. As such, I've decided to teach him how to improve his skills, which is why I've brought him here today." She said as Isane smiled at Ichigo and waved at him.

"Hi, Ichigo, nice to meet you. I'm Isane Kotetsu, Lieutenant of Squad Four." She bowed after introducing herself, causing Ichigo to return the gesture of respect.

"Likewise, Isane. So, you're a Lieutenant. I'm guessing that's why you have that badge on your arm?" Ichigo asked, pointing to Isane's Lieutenant Badge.

"You're correct; all Lieutenants are given a badge to signify their rank, just like Captains are given their white coats. The only difference is Captains have to wear their coats at all times, whereas Lieutenants are only required to wear their badges at official meetings, but there are some who choose to wear them all the time, such as myself." She said, smiling as she showed Ichigo her badge.

"Wow, that's pretty cool…" Ichigo said out loud, more to himself than anything.

"Well, from what I've heard about you, I think you'll be wearing your very own badge, and maybe even go on to be deemed worthy enough to wear your own Captain's coat and lead your own squad." Isane said, smiling still.

"Yeah, that would be pretty cool, but I've got a long way to go before that happens. So, what did you need me to do, Captain?" Ichigo asked, looking at the Squad Four Captain.

"So, for the next few hours, you're going to be treating real patients of mine, who have been admitted to us for various injuries. Isane, I want you to take over Squad Duties until we are finished. Until then, run the Squad as you see fit." She said, as she turned and beckoned Ichigo to follow as Isane bowed to her Captain and went to begin delegating duties to the various members of the Squad.

"Alright, Ichigo, the first task you'll be performing is healing broken bones. While it sounds simple enough, it's actually quite difficult, but I'm confident you'll be able to do it. Now, do you remember how to fix broken bones with Kidō?" She asked as they entered one of the wards and stood outside a patient's room.

"Uhh, yeah… You focus your spirit energy into your hands and then you start to channel it into the other person's body. Using your spirit energy, along with the energy of the person your healing, you're able to somewhat manipulate the reishi and spirit energy to act as a temporary filler until the bone itself is able to heal." Ichigo said, recalling what he was taught in class by Unohana.

"Very good, Ichigo. Now, let's see if you can put that knowledge to use in a practical assessment." She said as she opened the door and they both walked inside. She walked over to the bed and picked up the patient chart that was hanging off the end.

"Good afternoon, Third Seat Madarame. How's the leg?" She asked as she looked up from the clipboard and to her patient.

"Good afternoon, Captain. The leg is a pain in my ass. D'you think you can heal it so I can get outta here? I'm no good to my Captain in this damn bed." He grumbled.

"Well, that's why I'm here. However, someone else will be treating your injury today. Don't worry, I'll be here to observe and make sure everything runs smoothly. Ichigo?" She looked over to Ichigo, who walked over to Unohana and looked at the patient.

He found himself looking at a tall, muscular man. He had red marking on the outer corner of each eye. He was currently lying in a bed with his leg in a cast and had been elevated. The most noticeable feature was the man's large, shiny, bald head.

"Ichigo, this is Squad Eleven Third Seat, Ikkaku Madarame. Ikkaku, this is Ichigo Kurosaki; he's a student at the Soul Reaper Academy." Unohana said, introducing the two males.

"Yo, what's up, kid?" Ikkaku said, giving Ichigo a casual salute with two fingers.

"Ichigo, here is the patient's chart. I'll let you take care of the rest." She said as she handed him the clipboard, her face had a smile that showed Ichigo she was confident in his abilities.

"Alright, Ikkaku, so can you tell me what happened?" Ichigo asked, as he quickly read over the patient notes.

"Not much to tell. I was doing some training when I fucked up and broke my leg. Look, kid, can you just heal me so I can get outta here?" Ikkaku said, hoping to get out of here as quickly as possible.

"Well, your patient chart says different; this says your Captain did this to you by… throwing you through a wall?!" Ichigo reread the notes, making sure he hadn't misread it.

"Yeah, that's what I said. I fucked up during training and my Captain punished me for it. When we go all out, we go _all out_. Any mistakes that are made are because you screwed up, and it's your fault if you get hurt. That's the Squad Eleven way!" Ikkaku said proudly, causing Ichigo to sweat drop.

"Uh-huh… Right, well, hopefully I can get your leg all fixed up and send you on your way." Ichigo said as he placed the chart down and began to heal Ikkaku's leg.

He placed his hands over the broken appendage and began to channel his spirit energy into his palms. After a few seconds his hands began to glow green. When he was ready, he began to focus his spirit energy into the damaged limb and combine it with Ikkaku's energy. After several minutes, he could feel his spirit energy coalescing with Ikkaku's and he began to manipulate the energy along with the reishi in Ikkaku's body and focus it into the part of the bone that had broken, ultimately setting the bone and repairing it.

"Hey, it actually feels better. There's no pain, only a slight tingling sensation from where you healed it, kid." Ikkaku said, grinning with surprise.

"Very good Ichigo, it seems you have healed Third Seat Madarame's leg. Now, I'm going to request you stay another twenty four hours to give the bone time to fully heal. After that, I'm only allowing you to do light training for the next week, so you don't undo Ichigo's hard work and you wind up back in here, is that understood?" She asked, looking at the bald man.

"Uhh, yes, Ma'am. But what about my Captain; you know what he's like when he gets in the mood for a fight." Ikkaku said.

"Yes, I'm well aware of Captain Zaraki's thirst for battle. Shall he not listen to my request that you take part in no sparring on missions for the next week, I shall personally see to it that he understands why the body needs time to heal." Unohana said with her sweet smile, which didn't help Ikkaku get over the uneasy feeling he got from Unohana's words.

"I understand, Captain. Thanks again for fixing my leg, kid. You're alright." Ikkaku said, giving Ichigo a grin and a thumbs up, his bald head shining in the light of the room as he did so.

"No worries, but I think you should take it easy from now on… That, or don't fuck up so badly in training." Ichigo said, causing Ikkaku to chuckle at his comment as Ichigo and Unohana left his room.

"Well, I think that went rather well. I'm Impressed Ichigo." Unohana said, smiling as the pair walked down the corridor of the ward and on to the next room. "I hope you're ready for more, because we have quite a bit of work to do this afternoon."

"I'm ready for whatever you, have Captain." Ichigo said with determination, causing Unohana to smile even more as she opened the door to the next room and guided Ichigo inside.

* * *

Ichigo's afternoon was incredibly tiring, but very rewarding. He learned many new techniques for fast, effective healing and he was able to pick it all up very quickly, which impressed Captain Unohana very much.

"You did very well today, Ichigo. You definitely are Isshin's son." She said with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Captain. I didn't know there were so many things to learn in regards to Medical Kidō. Those guys from Squad Eleven treat your people like crap and it's really not fair." Ichigo said.

He began to remember the multiple incidents of injured members from Squad Eleven causing scenes because they felt like they deserved better than everyone else. However, they were promptly silenced when Captain Unohana reminded them that they were under her care and their lives were effectively in the hands of her Squad. Unsurprisingly, those members from Squad Eleven ended up being on their best behaviour for the rest of the afternoon.

"Well, they can be a handful and know how to intimidate my officers, but they just need to be reminded that we're the ones taking care of them. The only people who aren't intimidated by them are Isane, my Third Seat, Yasochika Iemura and myself." Captain Unohana said.

"If anything, Captain, I think _you_ intimidate _them_!" Ichigo said, laughing slightly.

"You think so? I hadn't noticed." Unohana said with a chuckle.

"Well, unless you have something else you need me to, I'll take my leave. I was going to teach Momo some stuff to help her with her Zanjutsu training, and she was going to help me with my Kidō; I still can't control the power of most of my Hadō spells…" Ichigo said, bowing to his mentor.

"Actually, there is one more thing I would like you to do." Unohana said as she put a hand in her pocket on the inside of her Captain's coat and pulled out a medicine bottle, filled with pills. "Would you be so kind as to deliver these to Captain Ukitake over in Squad Thirteen? His illness is currently incapacitated him and I said I would have someone deliver them to him." She asked as she handed Ichigo the medicine bottle.

"Of course, Captain, I'll deliver it right away. Squad Thirteen is on the way back to the Academy… But I have a feeling you already knew that, huh?" Ichigo said.

"You're right. You caught me." Unohana said, raising her hands in surrender, chuckling as she did so. "I hope it's not too much trouble?" She asked, her blue eyes looking at Ichigo.

"Not at all; I'd be happy to help." He said, smiling as he bowed one more time before leaving the Squad Four Barracks.

* * *

Ichigo quickly arrived at Squad Thirteen. He had met Captain Ukitake a few times after their first meeting and Ichigo had grown to like the man, so he wanted to make sure Captain Ukitake received his medicine on the double. That, and he was really eager to see Momo again. He hadn't seen her all day and was starting to miss her, even if it was just a little.

"Hello! I've come here from Squad Four! I have Captain Ukitake's medicine! Hello?! Is anyone here?!" He called out as he entered the main gate of the Squad.

"Squad Four? Is that you, sis?" A voiced called out, causing Ichigo to turn around and see a young girl coming towards him.

She was very short and had short, dark, sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing the standard Soul Reaper attire, but wore a pair of white gloves and had a white undershirt with a collar that protruded out over the top of her robe.

"Of course that's not your sister, you idiot. First of all, it's a guy, and second, you're a moron!" A loud voice yelled and Ichigo looked past the small girl and saw a tall man fast approaching.

The man who had arrived was tall and had scruffy black hair and a goatee. He was wearing a normal Soul Reaper's Shihakushō, but had thin white straps around his shoulders, which were tied into a circle on his back. He also wore a headband, made of the same white material.

"Shut up, Sentarō! All I heard was Squad Four and thought it might've been Isane! And you're the moron, you moron!" The girl yelled.

"Oh, so you're saying your sister sounds like a man now? I'll be sure to tell her that the next time I see her! 'Oh, hey, Isane; did you know that your sister not only thinks you're a giraffe, but you also sound like a man?' I'm sure she'd love to hear that, Kiyone!" Sentarō yelled back, flecks of spittle going everywhere as he yelled.

"Jeez, Sentarō; have you ever heard of the phrase 'say it, don't spray it'?"Kiyone shouted, wiping her face with the back of her gloved hand.

"Shut up, shrimp! Don't tell your superior what to do!" He shouted back.

"Superior? We're the same rank, you dumbass!" Kiyone growled, glaring at the tall man.

"Moron!"

"Idiot!"

"Loser!"

"ENOUGH!" A third voice roared, silencing the two arguing Soul Reapers. All three turned around to see a man with spiky raven black hair walking towards them.

He was wearing a standard Soul Reaper Shihakushō and sported a Lieutenant's badge on his upper left arm and a tattoo on his left forearm. He was scratching the back of his head and yawning.

"L-Lieutenant Shiba!" Sentarō and Kiyone shouted in unison, bowing down on one knee as they addressed him.

"Would you two keep it down with your incessant bickering? I've got a mountain of paperwork to get through, and I need to get some rest to be able to keep doing it." Kaien said, yawning and stretching. He looked over and saw Ichigo. "Hey, you're that kid from the Academy; the one who was able to use Flash Step on the very first day? Ichigo, right?" Kaien asked, looking at the orange haired teen.

"Yeah, that's me. You're a Shiba… Are you Kaien Shiba?" Ichigo asked, looking at the man before him. He could definitely see the resemblance between Kaien and himself.

"That's right. I've heard from Captain Unohana that your father is Isshin Shiba, my uncle. Is this true?" Kaien asked, examining Ichigo closely.

"Well, she told me the man I described sounded exactly like my dad, plus she told me he was really good at Medical Kidō, and he's a doctor in the World of the Living. So I guess it is true." Ichigo said. He wasn't really sure what to say.

"You have Captain Ukitake's medicine? Captain Unohana said she'd be sending you over personally. I've wanted to meet you for some time. Please, hand me the medicine." Kaien asked, holding out a hand. Ichigo reached into his robe, pulled out the medicine bottle and handed it to Kaien. "Here, Kiyone; take this medicine to the Captain, and try not to disturb him." Kaien said as Kiyone and Sentarō both began to leave. " _Just_ Kiyone. Sentarō, you can do it next time."

Kiyone grinned at Sentarō before sticking her tongue out and pulling her lower eyelid down, taunting the tall man, which caused him to growl at Kiyone, as she sped off to deliver the medicine to her Captain.

"Come with me, Ichigo. We have much to discuss." Kaien said, as he beckoned him into his office.

* * *

"So, Isshin Shiba is your father, huh? It must've come as quite a shock, learning about your father's true past." Kaien asked as he and Ichigo sat down in his office.

"Well, yeah, to hear that your father was actually a Soul Reaper Captain and the head of a Noble House would be a surprise to anyone." Ichigo stated, causing Kaien to laugh.

"Yeah, you've certainly got a point. But what happened to him? Why would he leave the Soul Society, his Squad, his friends and family behind?" Kaien asked, more to himself than to Ichigo.

"Beats me. All I know is that he told me he studied Medicine at a school far away and he decided to travel the world, but when he met my mom, he settled down with her, opened a clinic and started a family." Ichigo said, shrugging.

"Interesting. Was the goofball of an uncle that I remember, or was he different when he became a father?" Kaien asked.

"Well, if you call him a goofball, then it would seem he hasn't changed at all. He's always been loud and annoying, to say nothing of the fact about how he'd 'welcome' me home or wake me up in the mornings." Ichigo said, sighing at the memory of his father, a slight smile crept onto his face.

"Wait, don't tell me; he'd tackle you, elbow you in the face or drop kick you, wouldn't he?" Kaien said, grinning widely.

"Yeah, I remember a few days before I died, I was about a minute late for dinner; I literally just entered the kitchen and before I knew it, I was on my ass out in the hallway with a fist mark on my face. I look up and there he was, holding his fist out and looking at the floor, and all he says to me is 'Dinner's at 7. Those who are late don't eat.'." Ichigo said, causing Kaien to burst into laughter.

"Oh yeah, your father is _definitely_ my uncle Isshin. He'd try and do that stuff to me when I was younger, but after I became a Soul Reaper, he could never catch me off guard, so he started doing it to Ganju instead. But he would always treat Kūkaku like a princess when she was a little girl. Don't get me wrong, it was really sweet, but she was always feeling a little left out of all the action. She's tougher than most girls I know and always looked for a fight." Kaien laughed at the memories of Isshin and his brother and sister.

"He's like that with Karin and Yuzu, my sisters. He'd never hurt them, and even when Karin would punch _him_ in the face, he would act like it hurt and pretend to cry about how his daughter was abusing him." Ichigo said, shaking his head.

"I'm guessing he'd love embarrassing you whenever he could?" Kaien looked at Ichigo already knowing the answer.

"Oh, yeah… Sometimes I'd bring friends home from school and he'd start discussing personal things with me right in front of them. I do remember one friend I brought home to work on a school project with; her name was Orihime and when he saw her, he started crying and ran over to this giant poster he had of my mom on the wall and would say to it 'Our little boy's found love, Masaki! He's become a man and he'll give me the grandchildren we've always wanted!' I think Orihime was a little freaked out, but she never said anything."

"He was very much the same with me; the first time I brought my wife, Miyako, home to meet the family. Of course, we had just started dating at the time, but that didn't stop him from going and telling everyone about how his nephew was now a man and was going to have many children. Miyako found it rather entertaining, because it was the first time she had seen me genuinely embarrassed. She really admired Isshin and he treated her like she had always been a part of the family. Perhaps you'd like to meet Miyako sometime? She's the Third Seat of this Squad." Kaien said, looking at Ichigo.

"If it's all the same to you, perhaps I could meet her another time? It's just I have plans with my girlfriend and I don't want to be late." Ichigo said, as he and Kaien both stood up and walked out of Kaien's office.

"That's absolutely fine, I remember when I was your age; I was always eager to go and see Miyako whenever I could. But I'm sure Miyako would love to meet another family member; especially the child of Isshin. Oh, and if you'd like, you can bring your girlfriend too. I'd like to meet her and see if she's 'Shiba Family Material'." Kaien said, giving Ichigo a nudge and began to laugh as Ichigo went red. "I learned a lot from Uncle Isshin, kid. We are family after all." He smiled at Ichigo, who simply smirked and shook his head.

"Yeah, and I couldn't be happier." Ichigo said with sincerity. "Anyway, I'll see you later, Kaien."

"Lieutenant Shiba." Kaien corrected him, causing Ichigo to look confused. "It's Lieutenant Shiba when we're in public, but it's fine to call me Kaien when it's just family around, alright?" He said, grinning at the orange haired teen.

"Right; well see you later _Lieutenant_." Ichigo said as he left the Squad Thirteen grounds and headed back to the Academy.

* * *

Ichigo returned to the Academy and found Momo sat underneath the sakura tree where they would both hang out with Renji and Izuru when they had no classes to attend. She saw him enter and she stood up and waved, with a bright smile on her face.

"Hey, Ichigo!" She called out; as the orange haired teen ran up to her, she put her arms around his neck and jumped up, causing Ichigo to pick her up and hold her, so they were at the same height. Before Ichigo could say anything, Momo gave him a deep kiss.

"Wow, what was that for?" Ichigo asked after Momo broke the kiss and he had put her down.

"Nothing, I just really wanted to do that." She said smiling at Ichigo.

"Hey, I wasn't complaining; it was a very nice surprise. I hope you haven't been waiting here for long?" Ichigo said, hoping his meeting with Kaien didn't make him late.

"Nope, I just got here. I was just with Renji and Izuru. I think Renji is going to start spending more time with Rukia. She seems kinda lonely because she's on her own in her classes and is struggling to make friends." Momo said, looking a little sad by that fact.

"Oh, really? That's a shame; I thought Rukia would have no trouble making friends. She's really kind to others and I don't see why she would have trouble." Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head.

"I think it might have something to do with people looking down on her because of where she's from." Momo said sadly.

"Seriously? People judge you based on where you grew up in the Soul Society? Man, that's bollocks! We're all trying to be Soul Reapers, and we're all here because we have spirit energy! Why is that not enough for some?!" Ichigo asked, sounding rather angry.

"I don't know, but I don't like people who are like that. It's unfair. I judge people based on who they are as a person, not where they come from or how much spirit energy they have." Momo said with conviction.

"That's why you're my favourite girl." Ichigo said, pulling Momo in for a hug and lightly kissed her forehead. "Now, are you ready to do some Zanjutsu training with me?"

"Only if you're ready to lose to a girl!" Momo said, giggling.

"Alright, let's do this! But, don't forget our deal; you gotta teach me how to be better at Kidō. I can never seem to control the spells' power." Ichigo said.

"I won't forget…" She said before kissing Ichigo one last time. "It just means you're going to get your ass kicked by a girl twice."

"Is that right? Well, lead the way, Little Miss Confident." Ichigo smirked as he and Momo headed over to the Training Ground to begin Zanjutsu training.

It wasn't uncommon for students to pair up and do extra training outside of class, which is why the training grounds were open until 'Lights Out'. Quite often, you'd see lots of people training, or spectating in the training ground. However, Ichigo and Momo had arrived at a time where no-one was around, meaning they would be able to focus solely on their training, and _not_ on the people watching.

"You ready, Momo?!" Ichigo yelled from the other side of the battlefield.

"Ready!" She yelled back after she unsheathed her Zanpakutō and took a stance.

"Alright then…" Ichigo said as he too unsheathed his Zanpakutō.

After a few moments, he ran in at Momo and struck her with his sword. She managed to successfully block the strike and keep her footing solid. Pushing up, she managed to deflect Ichigo's blade and began to counterattack. Her strikes were fast, but light. Her intention wasn't to harm Ichigo, merely keep him on the defensive while she looks for an opening.

She found her chance and swung low, feigning an attempt to attack his legs, before swinging her sword back up and stabbing forward at his left shoulder.

Ichigo took the bait and tried jumping to avoid the low cutting sweep, but immediately realised it was a decoy. He didn't have time to deflect the strike, so he simply twisted and contorted his body so that he was able to avoid the blow. He did just enough to avoid serious damage, but he could feel the tip of her blade cut through his clothing and whistling across his skin. While it wasn't enough to draw blood, it certainly gave him pause for thought. Once he landed on the ground, he leapt back; a smirk plastered on his face.

Momo took a moment to catch her breath, before she went on the offensive again. This time her blows were strong and precise, focused on his upper body where he would have to work hard to block and deflect the strikes, which meant he'd tire quickly.

The one problem Momo had with Zanjutsu was she could either attack or defend, she couldn't do both simultaneously. Ichigo knew this and decided to make her aware of her openings. After blocking several strikes, Momo leapt into the air, arcing her sword down from above. Ichigo simply lifted his blade and parried the strike by pushing upwards as the two swords collided. He then swung the flat edge of his sword at Momo's side, tapping her just below the ribs on her right side.

As she felt the contact, she quickly jumped back and took up a defensive stance. Ichigo smirked to himself. He knew _exactly_ what he was going to do next.

He took two steps forward, causing Momo to tighten the grip on her sword, preparing herself for the imminent attack. However, Ichigo's actions took her by complete surprise.

After the third step, he simply vanished into thin air, causing Momo to blink her eyes in disbelief. Before she could do anything further, she was tapped on her shoulder. Quickly turning around to defend herself, she realised there was nothing she could do, so she closed her eyes and waited for the strike.

Except it never came. Curiously, she opened her eyes, and looked at what was in front of her. She saw Ichigo standing there smiling, right before he leaned in and kissed her nose. Realising the match had concluded, she dropped her guard and looked at her boyfriend before sheathing her sword.

"Cheater! You're not allowed to use Flash Step!" She said, playfully hitting Ichigo's arm.

"Hey, we never agreed to that!" Ichigo said, grinning as he also sheathed his blade.

"Well, from now on, you're not allowed to use Flash Step, ok? Unless…" She said, giving Ichigo an intriguing look.

"Unless…?" Ichigo asked, trying to figure out what Momo was thinking.

"Unless _you_ teach _me_ how to do it too!" She said, her eyes shining with hope.

"Say, that's not a bad idea. I have a feeling you'll be able to do it easily too. You have good control over your spirit energy and that's what you need." Ichigo said.

"Alright, so how do I do it?" Momo asked eagerly.

"Well, it's simple… I think." Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head.

"You think?" Momo asked, looking at her boyfriend incredulously.

"Well, yeah… I mean, it was easy for me because I was in a fight. I seem to learn combat techniques and abilities much better when I'm in a fight, than through actual tutelage." Ichigo said, smiling slightly.

"Okaaaay, so how did you do it?" Momo asked.

"Well, I just kinda focussed my spirit energy into my feet and leapt forward. I didn't really think about it, I just… Did it." Ichigo explained, recalling how he did it the first time, remembering how that weird voice told him how to do it.

"Ok, so you just focus your spirit energy into your feet and jump forward? That doesn't sound too hard." Momo said.

"Perhaps not, but considering everyone was surprised when I did it, there must be more to it than that." Ichigo stated.

"Well, let's just try, shall we?" Momo said as she began to gather spirit energy in her feet.

When she felt like she had gathered an ample amount, she jumped forward… But nothing happened.

"Hmm, that's not right. Let's try again." She said as she again began focussing her spirit energy into her feet.

Once again, after gathering her spirit energy, she jumped forward, but still nothing happened.

"Perhaps you're not using enough of it?" Ichigo asked, as Momo looked to him for advice. He wasn't really sure why it wasn't working.

Again, Momo started to collect spirit energy into the bottom of her feet, this time focussing a greater mass of energy into her feet. As she jumped forward, she ended up getting the same result as the last two attempts; nothing.

"Arrrgh! What am I doing wrong?!" She yelled in frustration. Momo didn't really have a lot of patience. She was talented enough to pick things up quickly, but when she couldn't, it would easily frustrate her.

Ichigo had been closely observing Momo's technique. He too, was wondering why it wasn't working. She had better control over spirit energy than he did, so why wasn't it working. He began to replay his actions when he did it over in his head, when something hit him.

"I think I've got it! I know why it's not working for you!" Ichigo said, snapping his fingers as the thought popped into his head. "You're not–" He began.

"You're not moving while doing it. You're remaining stationary." A voice from the shadows said, causing Momo to jump and Ichigo to scowl. He knew _exactly_ who that voice belonged to. His suspicions were confirmed when a boy with short black hair stepped into the light.

"Shūhei…" Ichigo said between clenched teeth.

"What do you mean…?" Momo asked, looking confused. "And what are you doing here?" She asked after regaining her composure.

"We thought it'd be interesting to see the two lovebirds train." A second voice said from the shadows. Not a moment later, Kanisawa and Aoga stepped out from their hiding place and joined Shūhei. It was Kanisawa who had spoken.

"Why are you watching us train? And how long have you been there for?" Momo asked, getting defensive.

"We've been here the whole time." Kanisawa shrugged. "That little kiss on the nose? Very cute." She said in a mocking tone, causing Momo to scowl slightly.

"Anyway, that's your problem. You're not moving while you jump." Shūhei said.

"What do you mean, 'I'm not moving'? Of course I am." Momo replied indignantly.

"Well, of course you're moving, but you're not _moving_." Shūhei said. His inability to be straight with Momo was starting to irritate her.

"What does that even mean?!" She said, her voice raising slightly.

"What it means is you're jumping forward from a stationary position. You have to be moving…" Shūhei said as he began to walk towards Momo before disappearing before her eyes. "Just like that." He said from behind her, causing her to jump and turn around before moving closer to Ichigo.

"So, you can do Flash Step too? Shall I alert the Soul Reapers? Perhaps they can give you the attention you so desperately crave." Ichigo said bluntly.

"I thought I'd show her how to do it properly, since you seem to be too stupid to figure out how to do it." Shūhei replied darkly.

"Tch… Someone's a little touchy today… And for your information, I was about to say the same thing before you interrupted me!" Ichigo bit back.

"Uh-huh, sure. Anyway, that's how you do it; no need to thank me." Shūhei said arrogantly.

"Are you here for a reason, or did you just come to creep on us?" Ichigo asked, his temper rising by the minute.

"No, like Kanisawa said; we just thought it would be interesting to see the pair of you train." Shūhei said. "Needless to say, we were quite disappointed. You'll never get better if you go easy on your opponent."

"Is that how you 'get better'; by smacking around girls and other inexperienced students? Man, I don't know why the Thirteen Court Guards would want someone like _you_ to be a Seated Officer. You're just an arrogant prick who's full of hot air and has an ego the size of a blimp." Ichigo said.

"You take that back!" Shūhei yelled.

"Who's gonna make me? You? Pfft, yeah right. You might be more experienced than me, but at least I didn't fail the entrance exam three times." Ichigo mocked. He knew he had hit a nerve with that last comment.

"It was _two_ times! Two! And if you want fight, Kurosaki, I'll give it to you!" Shūhei growled, now standing face to face with Ichigo, both of them glaring at each other.

"Alright, you're on. Just don't cry too much when I kick your ass." Ichigo grinned.

" _You_ kick _my_ ass?! Bullshit! I'm so sure I can beat you that I'm going to make sure the whole Academy is here to see it, and the Soul Reaper Captains and Lieutenants! I'm going to beat the shit out of you in front of everyone! When I do, everyone will mock you and you'll be an embarrassment to those fools in the Shiba Clan!" Shūhei roared.

Ichigo didn't bother saying anything else, he simply grabbed Shūhei by the collar and head-butted him, causing him to fall to the ground, holding his nose, trying to stop the blood that was pouring from it.

"Say what you want about me, my intelligence or my skills, but when you start talking shit about my friends and family, you better be prepared for the beating of a lifetime!" Ichigo said darkly.

"That was a cheap shot! Only cowards take cheap shots at people." Shūhei said, though his voice was muffled and distorted by his hands covering his mouth and nose.

"Well, how about I make it up to you? How about you can have a free hit against me when we do battle?" Ichigo said.

"I don't need any help to beat you! Just you watch; next week, I'm going to pound you into dust and then everyone will see just how weak and pathetic you really are!" He shouted as he stood up and left the training ground to seek medical help for his heavily bleeding nose.

"Ichigo, are you sure that was a good idea?" Momo asked. "He's a sixth year student, and he's far more experienced…"

Ichigo simply looked at his girlfriend with a smirk.

"Are you kidding? It's a great idea! Not only do I get to fight that guy, I get to do it in front of the entire Academy _and_ the Soul Reaper Captains and Lieutenants! I'll gain valuable combat experience and if I win, everyone will be shocked and impressed, but if I lose, people won't be surprised, because I'm just a first year student and they won't think anything of it. I can't lose!" Ichigo said, grinning widely.

"But you might get hurt! I don't want to see that happen!" Momo said; her voice full of concern and worry.

"Don't you worry about me, Momo. I'll be fine. Remember, I learn things through practical application and not being taught and directed on how I should do it. Besides, I'm really good at Medical Kidō now! I can fix broken bones and heal serious lacerations and other wounds." Ichigo said proudly.

"Wow, really?! That's really impressive! But I'm still worried about you getting hurt." Momo said quietly.

"Hey…" Ichigo whispered softly, gently lifting her head up by her chin and looking into her eyes; her brown eyes meeting the brown eyes of her boyfriend. "I promise you I'll be ok. I never would have riled him up like that if I wasn't sure I could give him one hell of a fight." Before Momo could say anymore, he gently pressed his lips against hers, kissing her softly.

After a few moments, he broke the kiss, his lips still lingering and ghosting off of her soft, wet lips before he looked at her once more with a grin on his face.

"I just had a thought; if you're worried about me and this fight, then that should give you cause to teach me how to refine my Kidō skills, huh?" Ichigo said, causing Momo to chuckle slightly.

"I suppose you're right. C'mon, we've still got a few hours before 'Lights Out'. Let's see if we can improve your Kidō. You can teach me Flash Step properly another time." She said, grabbing his hand and taking him over to the practice targets on the Kidō training ground.

* * *

A few days later, the whole Academy had heard about the 'sparring match' between Ichigo and Shūhei. It had been dubbed a 'sparring match' by Shūhei so that he could convince Ōnabara to allow it. There was no way in his right mind that Ōnabara would allow a full on grudge match at the Academy, let alone a match between a first year student and a sixth year student. Shūhei had also requested the presence of all the Captains and Lieutenants, which Ōnabara said he would do his best to fulfil.

"Did I hear you correctly?" Head Captain Yamamoto said, raising an eyebrow at the Academy's Lead Instructor.

"Yes, sir, a few days ago, I was approached by Sixth Year Academy Student Shūhei Hisagi, who had requested a sparring match between himself and First Year Academy Student Ichigo Kurosaki. Normally, I wouldn't sanction such a thing, but given Hisagi is one of the Academy's top students, and Kurosaki seems to have talents and abilities way beyond that of a First Year, I believed it would be a rather fascinating spectacle." Ōnabara stated to the Head Captain again.

"Hmm, and I am correct in saying that the rumours about Ichigo Kurosaki being a part of the Shiba Clan are in fact true?" He asked sternly.

"I believe they are true, yes. Both Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Shiba have backed the claim that the boy is in fact a Shiba." Ōnabara replied.

"Very well, I shall allow this match to take place. However, I feel as if your request to speak with me has more to do than getting my permission to sanction this match." Yamamoto looked at the instructor with a keen eye.

"You would be correct again, sir. Hisagi also asked me if the Captains _and_ Lieutenants of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads could be present." Ōnabara said, looking the Head Captain in the eye.

"I see… This is a most unusual request and I cannot speak on behalf of the Officers in question. I shall hold a Captain's Meeting and see what they decide. I, for one, must say this should prove to be an interesting endeavour and as such, shall be present." The Head Captain said with certainty.

"You honour us, Head Captain." Ōnabara said, speaking on behalf of the entire Soul Reaper Academy.

"I shall hold a Captain's Meeting today, and let you know what they have decided." Yamamoto said with finality, causing Ōnabara to bow deeply before leaving the Head Captain's Office.

Before the Head Captain could utter the command; Lieutenant Sasakibe was already on his way to preparing Hell Butterflies to send out to all the Captains.

* * *

Several hours later, all the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, along with their Lieutenants, had arrived outside the Squad One Meeting Hall for the Captain's Meeting. A few Captains already had their suspicions as to what the meeting was about; they had all heard whispers of a match between Ichigo and Shūhei, and how the latter had requested the presence of all the Captains and Lieutenants.

The large doors to the meeting hall opened and all the Officers quietly taking their places inside. Once again, with the Head Captain at the front of the group, he stood up and struck his cane off the wooden floor.

"This meeting will now be called to order!" His ever familiar words rumbled around the room. "A few hours ago, I was approached by Lead Instructor Ōnabara in regards to a most unusual request. It seems two of his students want to participate in a sparring match for the whole Academy to witness."

"You mean to tell me I was summoned here to hear about a pair of snot-nosed brats wanting to run about, hacking each other to bits like barbarians?! Unacceptable!" Kurotsuchi shouted angrily.

"SILENCE! Do not speak to me in that tone, Captain Kurotsuchi! Learn your place, or face the consequences of your insubordination!" Yamamoto roared, his voice as loud as thunder.

Captain Kurotsuchi merely shrunk back into his place in line and didn't speak another word, in fear of the Head Captain's threat.

"As I was saying…" The Head Captain continued, glaring at Kurotsuchi for a moment longer before returning his gaze to the centre of the room. "The reason I was approached was because this match is supposed to be between Shūhei Hisagi; a sixth year student, and Ichigo Kurosaki; a first year student." Yamamoto said, resulting in the Captains creating uproar.

"What? You cannot be serious?!" Captain Ukitake said, a look of horror painted on his face.

"I must agree, Head Captain, this does seem rather… Unfair." Captain Komamura said, choosing his words carefully so he would not offend the Head Captain.

"I don't know… This Ichigo does seem like a special case. If you saw his fight with fellow classmate, Renji Abarai several months ago, you'd see he's definitely no rookie." Captain Kyōraku said with a grin.

"Ooh, are you saying we might have yet another prodigy from the Shiba Clan?! What do you think, Lieutenant Shiba?" Captain Ichimaru asked, looking over at the Squad Thirteen Lieutenant.

"I have no doubt that Ichigo Kurosaki is a special case, and being from the Shiba Clan, I might be too quick to judge, but I strongly believe Ichigo is ready for this." Kaien said.

"You must be insane, Hisagi has already acquired experience as a Soul Reaper by going on missions with some of our squads; to say nothing of the fact he's already been selected for a Seated Officer's positing with Captain Tōsen and Squad Nine!" Soifon pointed out.

"Yeah, and I believe that's what'll make this all the more exciting!" Kenpachi stated with a wicked grin.

"I must admit that I, too, am keen on seeing such a match." Ginrei stated. "After seeing but a glimpse of Ichigo's skill and his ability to learn so quickly in combat, I strongly believe that he can give young Shūhei a run for his money."

"Captain Aizen; you have remained unusually silent. Have you any thoughts or opinions you'd like to voice?" Captain Komamura asked, looking to the bespectacled man on his right.

"I must admit that I believe Ichigo Kurosaki will be more than enough completion. We've all felt his spiritual pressure not only sharpen, but increase during his short time at the Academy, have we not?" Aizen commented, resulting in nods from most, if not all, the Captains.

"I also believe this would be a good time to test Shūhei's resolve in combat. One should never underestimate their opponent in battle. This would be a very interesting test to see if Shūhei is indeed suited for the Seated Officer's position in my Squad." Kaname said, reinforcing Aizen's statement that much more.

"It would appear you have all, more or less, reached an agreement that this match is no longer unfair." The Head Captain said, causing the Captains to all nod in agreement. "Very well, on to the next part of this meeting… Lead Instructor Ōnabara has requested the presence of _all_ Captains and Lieutenants of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads for this match." The Head Captain stated. "I want all of you to decide whether or not you'd like to attend."

"Ah, so Ol' Ōnabara wants to show off his Academy's best to us, huh? I guess some things never change." Shunsui said with a grin. The Head Captain decided to let his Captains believe Shunsui's comment. He didn't want to deter or sway any decisions the Captains made; based on the fact an Academy Student had requested their presence, and not Ōnabara.

"Well, I must say this does sound rather fun. I know I'll be there!" Gin said with a wide smile.

"Hmph… I suppose it would be interesting to see how that Kurosaki kid has progressed since day one…" Soifon said. "The Captain and Lieutenant of Squad Two shall attend." She stated, not giving her Lieutenant a chance to have his own say; not that she'd've listened, and if his opinion was different to hers, she'd just kick the crap out of him for his insubordination when they returned to their barracks.

"I have been training Ichigo in Medical Kidō. I am quite eager to see if his training will pay off in combat." Captain Unohana said with a small smile.

"I believe Ichigo Kurosaki is more than a match for Shūhei Hisagi. I shall also be attending." Captain Aizen stated, but his reasons for attending were vastly different to the reason he just gave.

"Both myself and Lieutenant Kuchiki of Squad Six will be in attendance." Ginrei said, with Byakuya nodding in agreement behind him.

"Well… I do suppose it's time for me to personally see just what this boy is capable of. My Lieutenant and I shall also be going to spectate." Captain Komamura stated.

"Well, you know me, Old Man Yama; I'd never miss a good party. I'll bring the Sake." Shunsui said, chuckling slightly.

"I shall attend, so that I might see Shūhei's skills for myself." Captain Tōsen stated.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto; as your Squad is the only one to be without a Captain, it is down to you to decide whether or not you shall attend this match for Squad Ten." Yamamoto said, looking over to the Lieutenant of Squad Ten.

"Oh, I'll definitely be there, sir! I've only ever heard what this Ichigo can do from others. There's no way I'm passing up an opportunity like this!" Rangiku said eagerly, but with respect.

"Tch, you don't even need to ask me, Old Man. It's guaranteed to be a bloodbath, and I love those!" Kenpachi stated darkly, his grin getting even wider. "I'm going to bring along two of my pinhead subordinates though; my Third and Fifth Seats. That gonna be a problem?" Kenpachi growled, but no-one made any attempt to protest.

"Oh, very well… Since everyone shall be in attendance, I suppose I can find the time to do so as well. I'm sure I can collect some form of data that would benefit my research." Mayuri said, causing everyone present to inwardly groan. It was always about 'data' and 'research' with him.

"Yes, I must admit, I have taken a keen interest in Ichigo since I first saw him fight all those months ago. Even more so, now that I've learned he is from the Shiba Clan, like my Lieutenant." Jūshirō said with a smile.

"It seems that the decision was unanimous and no-one objected. Excellent. I shall let Lead Instructor Ōnabara know that _all_ Captains and Lieutenants shall be present for this match." Yamamoto declared.

"Wait, you're going too, Old Man Yama?" Shunsui asked in surprise.

"Of course! I was most intrigued by the request that was made to me; I simply could not turn it down." The Head Captain said; an almost invisible smirk appeared on his aged features that went unnoticed by all in attendance.

"Well, this will definitely be an occasion to remember, and I hope it will be one that is still talked about many years from now." Jūshirō stated. A happy and excited smiled appeared on his face.

"That is all I wished to discuss with you today. This Captain's meeting is now dismissed!" Yamamoto stated, once again rapping his cane against the floor.

* * *

"I really hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Ichigo…" Izuru said as he, Ichigo, Momo and Renji walked to the battleground.

It was the day of the fight between Ichigo and Shūhei and everyone knew it was going to be _big_. All the students at the Academy had been talking about it non-stop for the past week, even more so after it was announced all Soul Reaper Captains and Lieutenants were to be present.

"Don't worry, Izuru. I've got this. I'm the best in our class at Zanjutsu and Momo been helping me with my Kidō, and we all know she's the best at that." Ichigo said, dismissing his friend's concerns.

"Yeah, but that's the problem, you numbskull. You might be the best at Zanjutsu in _our_ class, but Shūhei has six more years of experience than you. Plus he's already been on missions with Soul Reapers and–" Renji began, before being cut off by Ichigo.

"And he's already been offered a Seated Officer's position within a Squad upon graduation." Ichigo said in a childish, mocking tone. "I'm getting pretty sick of hearing that, y'know?"

"Whatever, man. Just don't come crying to me when you get your ass handed to you." Renji shrugged.

"Man, whose side are you on?!" Ichigo growled, glaring at his red headed friend.

"I'm on your side, you idiot. But I just don't want to see you embarrass yourself." Renji said, shaking his head.

"Actually, Renji, I think Ichigo's got a pretty good chance at winning this thing. I've been doing a little bit of investigating and while Shūhei might excel in Zanjutsu and Kidō, especially Bakudō spells, he's pretty bad at Medical Kidō." Momo said.

"Wow, ok, so he's never going to be a doctor or be suited for Squad Four, what's your point?" He asked, causing Momo to scowl at his rudeness.

"What she means, Renji, is that if Shūhei gets hurt, he won't be able to heal himself. Ichigo can and will be able to with relative ease, especially since he's had extra training from Captain Unohana herself." Izuru stated.

"Oh, right… I get it now. Huh, maybe I was wrong about you, Ichigo. You just _might_ be able to pull this off… But I'm still going to take experience over talent any day. Sorry, pal, but as good as you might be, Shūhei will know everything you're planning, because he's already been there and done that." Renji said.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence… Asshole." Ichigo said, muttering the last word.

"Hmm, did you say something?" Renji asked, not really paying attention.

"Nothing." Ichigo sighed as they arrived at the battlefield.

"Oh, wow! This was unexpected…" Izuru said, his eyes widening in shock.

The battlefield was no longer just a battlefield. It was now a small scale arena, not unlike the ones Roman Gladiators would battle in. The stands were packed with students from the Academy, all eager to see the upcoming confrontation. At one end of the stands, there was a large open-plan seating area in which all the Captains and Lieutenants had occupied.

"Incredible… They've really gone all out for this thing, huh?" Momo said, looking at the sight before her in awe.

"I don't know how or why they went to all this trouble, but it looks like you've got one hell of an audience to impress." Renji said.

"Ah, Ichigo, you're here." A voice called out. Ichigo couldn't help but smile at the familiar voice.

"Captain Unohana." Ichigo said, smiling at the Captain and bowing in respect.

"I'm glad I got to catch you before you entered the grounds." She said as she approached him.

"Uhh, we'll head on inside and find somewhere to sit." Izuru said to Ichigo as he left with Momo and Renji, not before bowing to the Captain.

"Good luck, Ichigo!" Momo said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You wanted to see me, Captain Unohana?" Ichigo asked, turning his attention to the Squad Four Captain.

"Yes, I just wanted to see you and make sure you were ready for today's match." She said. A look of concern was etched upon her face.

"Yeah, I think I'm ready. I've been training like crazy all week. I think I can do this, Captain." Ichigo said confidently.

"I hope so. You're going to need all that training and knowledge you've picked up from both the Academy and myself over the past several months. Shūhei is not a person to be taken lightly, his Shikai can be rather dangerous if you're not careful." Unohana stated, causing Ichigo to pale.

"Sh-Shikai?! I didn't know he had a Shikai! Goddamn it!" Ichigo shouted. Knowing Shūhei had a Shikai meant all his training might have been for nothing. He didn't have a Shikai, so he was now at a huge disadvantage.

"Ichigo, look at me." Unohana said, gently cupping his cheeks in her hands and making him look at her. "You can't let the knowledge of Shūhei's Shikai deter you. Go in there with all the confidence you had just a moment ago. Shūhei deliberately hid this from you so he could catch you off guard with it." Unohana said softly, yet her words carried enough weight that they snapped Ichigo out of his despair and allowed him to focus again.

"Wait a minute, Captain; why are you even telling me this? Aren't you meant to merely spectate?" Ichigo asked out of curiosity.

"Well, yes, you're right; I really shouldn't be telling you any of this, but…" She said before trailing off. "How do I say this…? I care for you deeply, Ichigo. Much like a mother would care for a son, and the reason for that is because of whose son you are." She replied, confusing Ichigo.

"What are you saying, Captain?" Ichigo asked, not really sure what she was saying.

"You're Isshin's son, and that's why I care about you. A long time, before he left the Soul Society and never returned, I was in love with him. Part of me still is, and it's because of that love I have for your father that I don't want anything bad happening to you." Unohana said as she watched Ichigo process everything she just said.

"Wow… I-I didn't know that. I'm sorry, Captain." Ichigo said, sadly. He could understand how she might be feeling. He would be devastated if Momo left one day and never returned to him.

"Don't worry about that now, Ichigo. You have a battle to prepare for. Shūhei won't give an inch, and neither should you. You have your training and the knowledge of his Shikai, so go get him." Unohana smiled softly as she leant in and whispered something in his ear before she gently kissed his forehead in a motherly way. After that, she simply vanished with Flash Step.

Ichigo simply shook his head, took a moment to compose himself before he walked into the arena. The sight that greeted him was awe-inspiring. As he walked onto the sands, he saw everyone looking down at him from the stands, all eagerly awaiting his arrival so they could see this highly-anticipated spectacle. Shūhei was already on the sands, stretching and making sure his reflexes were at their best.

Ichigo simply went to the opposite side of the arena and stood there, not really looking at anything. Shortly after Ichigo took his place, Ōnabara stood up and calmed the spectators until they were silent, and he began his address.

"Welcome, students of the Soul Reaper Academy! Today we have a very special event for you! It has been a hot topic this past week amongst you all, and I should know, as I've had to give several of you detention because you wouldn't stop talking about it!" He shouted, causing a large group of student to laugh at what he said. "Now, before we get underway, I'd like to take this time to welcome our most esteemed guests today; the Captains and Lieutenants of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads! I shall now hand over to the Captain of Squad One; the founder of both the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and this Academy; Head Captain Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto!" Ōnabara said, before allowing the Head Captain to take the floor.

"Welcome students! Today should prove to be a most interesting spectacle, so let's get right to it, shall we? In this match, we have Ichigo Kurosaki, an incredibly talented First Year Student facing off against Shūhei Hisagi, a highly experienced Sixth Year Student!" The Head Captain shouted, giving pause to allow the students a chance to applaud and cheer for the two combatants as they made their way to the middle of the battlefield.

"Scared Kurosaki?" Shūhei said, grinning darkly.

Ichigo felt a sudden rush of unease overcome him. He looked up and saw Captain Unohana in the stands smiling at him. He remembered what she had told him moments ago and the feeling of uneasiness began to subside, and was replaced with determination and confidence.

"You wish…" Ichigo growled, before an idea popped into his head, and he began to grin. He waited for the noise from the crowd to die down before he spoke again. "In fact, I'm so sure I can beat you, I'll extend you my offer from a week ago; I'll let you have a free strike on me!" Ichigo said, unsheathing his sword and stabbing it in the ground before undoing his robe top and removing it, exposing his muscular torso.

Up in the stands, the Captains were rather surprised by Ichigo's bold action.

"Such arrogance. It will be the downfall of him." Captain Komamura stated, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Well, he's certainly sure of himself… I wonder how he'll act when he loses." Soifon said, smirking.

"Oh my… Are all from the Shiba Clan so gallant, Lieutenant Shiba?" Gin asked, looking over at Kaien.

"No, we're not… While I have to commend him for his confidence, I must say it's a rather disrespectful action." Kaien said. Despite his words, he was incredibly impressed and even proud of how Ichigo was trying to get into Shūhei's head before they had even started.

"HA! Now _that_ is what I came here to see!" Kenpachi roared, clearly entertained by Ichigo's actions. He had taken a page right from Zaraki's playbook.

"Wow, he's certainly a different Ichigo that healed my broken leg last week. Here I was thinking he was just some pansy who didn't know how to fight, so he was learning how to heal people who do." Ikkaku remarked, looking at the orange haired teen in surprise.

"Looks can always be deceiving, Third Seat Madarame. I thought you of all people would know that." Captain Unohana said, smiling at the bald Soul Reaper.

"Well… It looks like Isshin's Zanpakutō wasn't the only thing that knew how to burn people…" Shunsui said quietly, causing Jūshirō to chuckle slightly.

"Shunsui! You're terrible!" Jūshirō whispered, playfully slapping his closest friend's arm.

"It would seem Ichigo has already gotten into Shūhei's head… This was unexpected." Kaname stated, sensing Shūhei's spiritual pressure beginning to fluctuate.

"Yes, but this would be an opportune time to see how Shūhei does under pressure, and how Ichigo does as a whole." Aizen said to his blind colleague.

"Never mind that, look at his muscles! They're incredible!" Rangiku said, practically drooling over Ichigo.

"Rangiku, please! You're here representing Squad Ten; try to refrain from acting like a horny schoolgirl." Nanao said, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Come now, Nanao… Don't think I haven't noticed you looking too." Shunsui chided his Lieutenant playfully, wagging his finger at her in faux-disappointment.

"Would you knock it off, you dirty old man?!" Nanao shouted at Shunsui.

"Well, it would appear the combatants are ready!" The Head Captain shouted, bringing the attention in the arena back on him, so he could begin the battle.

"Oh, yeah… You'd better make this one count, Shūhei, as it's going to be your only chance to win this." Ichigo said, taunting his opponent further.

"Get real! You're just an arrogant little bastard! Let's see how smug you are after I take you down a peg or two. You have no idea what I have planned for you!" Shūhei said, grinning evilly.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sooo scared." Ichigo said, mocking his opponent. He knew _exactly_ what Shūhei was referring to.

"Alright, combatants, get ready!" The Head Captain yelled, causing Shūhei to take a fighting stance, while Ichigo just stood there, chest exposed for Shūhei to strike at.

"BEGIN!" The Head Captain bellowed and then made his way back to his seat to watch the battle.

Shūhei leapt at Ichigo, intent on ending this in one strike. He was upon Ichigo within seconds and slashed his blade at Ichigo…

* * *

 **A/N; Alrighty, friends, let's end it there for now, shall we? If you're angry about it, then I can only say this 'Good, that means you're enjoying it and will be eagerly awaiting the next chapter', and boy do I have something good for you there. Blood! Combat! Explosions! More Blood! I hope you'll all enjoy it!**

 **Ok, so there are a few things I would like to get squared away here and now; First of all, were any of you expecting the whole IsshinxUnohana pairing I came up with, or did you think it was going to become an IchigoxUnohana fic? If you were expecting the latter, then I can't say I blame you. As I was writing their interactions, I kinda thought 'Wow, this would be a great idea for my story'. The whole 'illicit love affair' deal that you tend to see. Plus, it's between a highly respected Captain and an Academy Student, that's gotta be a new one, right? To say nothing of the fact that an IchigoxUnohana fic is indeed rare (as I don't think I've come across one yet), but I digress. I firmly believe Ichigo is someone who respects women and would never cheat on his girlfriend, especially not someone as sweet and innocent as Momo, so I did the next best thing and made it an IsshinxUnohana from the past kinda thing.**

 **Second, for those of you who didn't understand the whole 'Isshin's Zanpakutō burn' thing, I'll explain it now. Isshin's Zanpakutō, Engetsu, is a fire type Zanpakutō, which has the release command of 'Burn!', and then the blade proceeds to be covered in flames. The joke becomes less funny if I have to explain it, but I don't want people getting confused.**

 **Speaking of confused, here's one thing that I believe I should address (especially since someone decided to make a review about how my fic is 'messed up'). Yes, I am aware I've skewed the timeline to suit my own purposes, but that's not what I care about. I am well aware that Shūhei is heavily OOC in my fic, but that's because there's no back story on him, so I decided to make him a bit of an arrogant douchebag while in the Academy, because if you were an Academy Student that's been on Missions with Soul Reapers and have already been offered a Seated Officer's position within a squad, you'd get a bit of an ego, huh? Well, that's why Shūhei is like that, but that'll change after he begins working under Captain Tōsen, who will teach him respect and humility and shit. Finally, and this is my biggest gripe with that review; Shūhei's '69' tattoo. Since I assume you're saying he got it because Kensei was his Captain, let me hit you with some truth, son. He got the tattoo because Kensei had it on his torso, which Shūhei saw when Kensei saved him from a hollow as a kid. Regardless of that, if you actually watch the Anime, you'll see that Shūhei clearly has the '69' on his cheek while at the Academy. If you don't believe me, look at his page on the Bleach Wiki, there's a picture of him as an Academy Student with that tattoo. As Isshin said to Grand Fisher 'Don't talk to me about Soul Reaper Lore until you know _that_.'**

 **Ugh, sorry about that. I just REALLY needed to explain that, because I will not stand for people who criticise me and say my fic is 'messed up', simply because I decide to make a character OOC by giving them a backstory that relates to stuff taken from Canon. We literally don't know anything about Shūhei as an Academy Student, so I thought I'd make a story for him. It's called being creative. Besides, the story would be boring as shit if I didn't have a rival for the main character to fight.**

 **Aside from that negative review (which was uncool and while my response may seem harsh, I just had to explain my reasons behind the OOCness of Shūhei, and the fact they called my story 'messed up' when they can't even get their facts straight), I won't be spitting venom at every negative review, that was just a one off. Now, back to positive stuff; the people who are loving this fic, I can't thank you enough for your kind words and because of this, I shall now reply to each review I get from now on, here in my A/N's;**

 **Tyler Darkside; Thank you for the kind words and I'm glad you like how Ichigo and Momo's relationship actually works and feels real. Also, I had no idea their names meant Strawberry and Peach. I knew Momo likes peaches but hates plums (which is ironic, given the fact Tobiume means 'Flying Plum Tree' or something in Japanese). I'm pleased you like the fight scenes, because the next chapter is going to be full of them! You're right, Ichigo and Shūhei are going to have an epic rivalry, but that's all I'm going to say about that. As for Ichigo's reasonings for teaming up with Aizen, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out! ;D But I will say this; his reasons aren't like Kaname's at all. Thank you for the review and I will keep doing what I can to provide you (and everyone else) with excellent works!**

 **TheStormWriter123; I greatly appreciate the fact you think this deserves more reviews that it has (the more I get, the faster I create! Spread the word!), but so far, I'm happy with the fact people are liking it. As for Karin/Yuzu… I can't really say. I haven't decided on that yet. I will say that Ichigo is going to return to Karakura and confront Isshin about his past when Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, but until then, any of that canon stuff is all up in the air.**

 **FindingProvidence; I am incredibly greatful to you sir/madam for telling me you love this fic. When I started this story, I had a simple idea, but I had no idea that it would blossom into something successful and something people would actually love. I do agree with you on the whole 'Momo getting the boot' thing, because I think she's such a sweetheart (and Aizen is a bastard for what he did to her in canon), but that won't be happening for quite some time, so enjoy the pairing for now. I've got a few ideas on how to develop Ichigo into the creature in Sōkyoku Hill, but I promise it'll be interesting, and you'll get to see how Aizen can manipulate Ichigo (I hope I can correctly capture and portray his sinister, underhanded tactics the way Kubo does (seriously, that man is a genius and I bow to him)). Yes, Ichigo would never hurt those he cares about, but he was indeed under the influence of 'White' (That was the name of the Hollow that attacked Masaki, so that's what I shall call him)… Or was he? Did he know what he was doing and simply allow White to take control and stab the Head Captain, or was he completely under the control of White and couldn't do anything to stop him? Stay tuned to find out. Lastly, I would just like to say I am humbled by the fact you're enjoying this so much that it's becoming a favourite of yours (and quickly at that!). I hope I don't disappoint in the upcoming chapters.**

 **Oh, there was one more thing I'd like to say; I apologise for this incredibly long A/N and for the mini-rant I had at the 'Guest' who said my story was messed up.**

 **Until next time, my friends!**


	5. Disrupt

Chapter Five – Disrupt…

" _Alright, combatants, get ready!" The Head Captain yelled, causing Shūhei to take a fighting stance, while Ichigo just stood there, chest exposed for Shūhei to strike at._

" _BEGIN!" The Head Captain bellowed and then made his way back to his seat to watch the battle._

 _Shūhei leapt at Ichigo, intent on ending this in one strike. He was upon Ichigo within seconds and slashed his blade at Ichigo…_

* * *

Shūhei's blade slashed against Ichigo, but to his surprise, and the surprise of everyone watching, the blade didn't even draw blood.

"Wh-what?! How is that even possible?! What… What _are_ you?!" Shūhei asked in disbelief.

"As I figured. You can't cut me with an attack like _that_. Let me tell you something…" Ichigo said, remembering the words Captain Unohana whispered into his ear before the battle. "When two spiritual pressures collide and one is far superior to the other, the weaker one gets pushed down… It's forced to submit. As it stands now, my spiritual pressure is the superior one. All I had to do was focus my spirit energy to a concentrated area of my body, it will create a sort of barrier, and since I gave you my chest as a target, I knew you'd focus somewhere on my upper body, meaning I knew where you were going to strike, and simply planned accordingly." Ichigo said, picking his sword up. "Now, how about we _really_ start this thing?!" He roared as he charged at Shūhei.

* * *

"HA! INCREDIBLE! Old Man, I want that kid in my Squad! He is one fearless son of a bitch and I like that!" Kenpachi roared, revelling in the display he had just witnessed.

 _Well, well, Ichigo… It seems you have learned quite a bit more than just Medical Kidō from Captain Unohana… How interesting…_ Aizen thought to himself as a thin smile crossed his face.

"It would appear the mind games continue… By forcing Shūhei to think he had the upper hand, then revealing it was a part of his strategy, he's firmly lodged himself inside Shūhei's head." Captain Tōsen commented, nodding at Ichigo's actions.

"It would appear I misjudged the boy; it wasn't arrogance, but a display of combat prowess and tactical intelligence…" Captain Komamura stated, looking down at the orange haired teen with surprise.

"Don't be a fool, Komamura. The boy is an arrogant fool and he's going to get his ass handed to him because of it!" Soifon growled, glaring at Ichigo in disdain.

"Well, I must admit, his bold statement was a rather clever one. What do you think, Kaien?" Shunsui said, looking over to the Head of the Shiba Clan, trying to change the focus of the conversation before it got out of hand.

"I was a little surprised by his actions to begin with but seeing the result and knowing that was what he had intended, I'm quite impressed. The method was a little rough, but that kind of planning and forethought is something only Captains and Lieutenants are expected of. To see that from an Academy Student…" Kaien said, smiling proudly at his orange haired cousin.

"Even I must admit that I'm impressed with his actions. To think, using such a bold statement to get in his opponent's head like that. It's very impressive." Nanao commented, shifting her glasses up her nose slightly.

"Are you sure it's his strategy that impressed you? I notice you still haven't taken your eyes off him." Shunsui said chuckling, causing Nanao to go red.

"Would you knock it off?! At least I'm not drooling over him like Rangiku!" Nanao shouted, pointed over to the Squad Ten Lieutenant.

"Hey! Don't be so mean, Nanao! There's nothing wrong with us women checking out attractive men. Especially since all the men I know are old, perverted or ugly. I mean, the only decent looking men I've met are Kaien and my old Captain, Isshin. Kaien is married and while Isshin looked good, he was incredibly lazy and that's what I hated… He was always finding some excuse to slip out of the office and push all his paperwork onto me." Rangiku whined.

"You're just as lazy as he was! So don't give me that crap about hating lazy people. I'm surprised Squad Ten is still standing with you running things for the past twenty years!" Nanao yelled, causing Rangiku to pout.

"Why are you so mean, Nanao? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're jealous. Well, if you want, I'll back off and let you have him." Rangiku grinned.

"Sounds like Rangiku has a thing for Shiba men… Perhaps you'd like to introduce her to your brother, Ganju?" Shunsui said to Kaien, grinning.

"Nooooo, no thank you. If Rangiku thinks us Shiba men are attractive, I'm going to let her keep thinking that." Kaien laughed.

"Is it just me, or has it gotten somewhat colder in here?" Jūshirō said, rubbing his arms in an attempt to keep warm.

"I know this feeling…" Kenpachi muttered, looking over to Captain Unohana, who was simply staring at Rangiku. "Yeah, it's her alright…"

"Oooooh! Looks like Jugs managed to upset Nurse 'Hana. Does she know that?" Yachiru asked her brutish Captain.

"I doubt it. The dumb bimbo probably has no idea she's just gone and insulted the only man Unohana has ever loved… Even _I'm_ not stupid enough to do that." Kenpachi muttered, looking over at Unohana and then over to Rangiku. "I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to watch this fight without breaking up some sort of argument." He sighed as he settled down to watch the battle.

* * *

Ichigo leapt at Shūhei and the crossed blades for the first time. Ichigo could clearly see Shūhei was shook up by what just happened, he decided to use that to his advantage. Striking quickly, Ichigo forced Shūhei onto the back foot and gave no opening for a counterattack. Feigning a high downwards strike, Ichigo forced Shūhei to try and block, leaving his lower extremities exposed. Ichigo took advantage of that and swept Shūhei's legs out from underneath him, causing the black haired boy to crash to the sand.

Ichigo followed up with a quick strike, but Shūhei was in a position to block with his sword before pushing the flat edge of his blade that he had used to block the strike and roll to the side and back on to his feet.

Not giving his opponent time to think, Shūhei immediately went on the offensive and began striking at Ichigo with a series of heavy strikes that was followed up by a final strike where he began to push his blade down onto Ichigo, forcing him down on to one knee.

The intensity of Shūhei's strikes, combined with the leverage he now had over Ichigo, had the orange haired teen in quite the predicament. Shūhei's blade was getting closer and closer, slowly forcing his blade closer to his chest. He could see the tip of the blade edging nearer and nearer, as if he was a magnet attracting the sharp piece of metal towards him.

In a move of desperation, Ichigo swept his sword to the side and grabbed Shūhei's weapon in his hand before pushing that away from him. In his position down on one knee, he leaped forward, slamming his shoulder into Shūhei's gut. The pair of them losing their weapons and tumbling to the sand in a heap. Ichigo managed to come out on top and began to punch Shūhei in the face with fast, hard blows that left him more and more dazed with each hit.

Throughout the flurry of strikes, Shūhei was able to lift his hand up and pointed two fingers at Ichigo.

"Bakudō Number One; Sai!" He said, and before Ichigo could do anything, he felt his arms tied up behind his back.

"What the-? Dammit!" He yelled, struggling to get free.

Shūhei tried to force himself out from underneath, but only got halfway out before he was smacked back to the ground by a solid head-butt from Ichigo, who took the opportunity to roll back off Shūhei and try to break the spell.

Taking his knowledge from Kidō Classes and his extra tuition from Momo, he knew he could easily break it by releasing a heavy amount of spirit energy, which is exactly what he began to do. Unleashing everything he had, he began to struggle against the invisible binds that held him. Slowly but surely, he was starting to feel movement return to his arms, and with a final, loud cry, he broke the spell that Shūhei had put on him. As soon as he was free, Ichigo felt a great pain across his face as he was sent flying back across the sand, from a powerful kick by Shūhei that was fuelled by both anger and the pain from Ichigo's earlier strikes.

Lying face up in the sand, he looked up at the sky before him. _Huh… That one actually hurt. Damn._ He thought as he sat up and began to shift his jaw around, making sure nothing was broken. Confirming nothing was broken, he spat out a wad of bloody spit before standing up, ready to go after Shūhei again.

Grinning, he took a knee in front of Shūhei and began to lightly brush away the sand with his hand before standing up and walking away from the black haired teen. After he had kicked Ichigo, Shūhei was able to pick his sword up again; he was the one with the weapon, so why was Ichigo grinning?

Knowing something was up, Shūhei proceeded towards Ichigo cautiously, sword drawn and ready to strike. He had crossed the mark Ichigo had made in the sand after getting up; Shūhei had walked into another trap of his.

"Bakudō Number Twenty-One; Sekienton!" Ichigo yelled, as he smacked his hands into the ground, causing a huge explosion of red smoke to cover the area, engulfing both combatants.

* * *

"Alright, Ichigo, today we're going to focus on Bakudō Spells that focus on proximity to be used to maximum effect." Momo said, as she looked at Ichigo.

Ichigo had started his second day of Kidō training with Momo and he could see why she was top of the class in the subject; just the day before, she taught Ichigo some things that would allow him to control his spirit energy while he performed Kidō, as a result, he could easily perform basic, low-level Kidō with great control.

"Alright, what did you have in mind?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, there are many Bakudō Spells that require you to be within a certain range for them to be truly effective. The best one, especially for taking opponents by surprise and creating traps is Bakudō Twenty One." Momo said as she looked at Ichigo, who was obviously trying to recall just what Bakudō Twenty One was. "Sekienton." She said, sighing.

"Oh, right… Heh, that's my bad." Ichigo said, grinning and scratching the back of his head. Momo simply rolled her eyes as she continued.

"Anyway… Sekienton is great for this because it creates an explosion of smoke that blinds the opponent." Momo explained. "What makes it ideal for a trap is that it's immediate and has an area of effect radius that's roughly ten feet. If you can determine when you opponent is within that ten foot range, you can catch them completely by surprise, ultimately turning the battle to your favour!" Momo said, smiling.

"Oh, I get it! Well, what are we waiting for?!" Ichigo said standing up, eager to get started.

* * *

The red smoke from Ichigo's Bakudō spell was still present and incredibly thick. That was something else Momo had taught him; the more focus and control over his spirit energy he had when using this Kidō, he could make the smoke thicker and hang around longer. Using this to his advantage, he slipped out from the cloud, picking up his sword, ready to fight again.

However, he didn't rush in and take Shūhei by surprise; instead he stood there, waiting for the smoke to dissipate. He raised his free hand pointed two fingers at the cloud, waiting for his chance. His actions greatly confused some of the Captains who were watching.

"Why is he just standing there? He clearly has the advantage." Jūshirō asked, not really sure what to make of Ichigo's actions.

"Well, from what I've already seen from him so far, he clearly has something up his sleeve." Shunsui said.

"Tch, looks like he's just showboating; that kind of behaviour would never be tolerated in _my_ Squad." Soifon said, looking at Ichigo with contempt.

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge Ichigo's actions, Captain Soifon. I have made that mistake already, and I'm sure you don't want to do the same." Captain Komamura said to the Squad Two Captain, who merely scoffed in response.

"You really are an interesting young man, Ichigo Kurosaki…" Ginrei said to himself, looking at the orange haired teen with a pensive stare.

"Well, whatever he's planning, I must say I'm thoroughly impressed with him; the mind games and taunting, the near perfect use of a Bakudō to trap and disorientate his opponent. I'm rather excited to see what else he has in store for us." Gin said with a smile.

* * *

"What is Ichigo doing? Go in there and fight, you idiot!" Renji yelled at his friend.

"Relax Renji. It looks like Ichigo knows what he's doing. How many times has he surprised us so far?" Izuru said, calming Renji down a little.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right… Momo, he's your boyfriend; any idea what he's planning?" Renji asked, looking at Momo, who was smiling.

"Oh, I know _exactly_ what he's going to do. Just watch, this is going to be fascinating to see…" Momo said; her eyes never breaking concentration on the fight going on down below.

* * *

Ichigo was still stood in the same spot, hand raised and fingers pointed in front of him when the smoke finally dissipated and found Shūhei aimlessly stumbling about, trying to clear the last of the smoke when he turned around and saw Ichigo. A look of shock crossed his face when he saw what Ichigo was doing.

At the tips of his fingers, he started gathering spirit energy. There was an incredible amount being stored in such a small area, it began to crackle and spark like lightning. The point of focus for this vast amount of spirit energy was Shūhei.

"Hadō Number Four; Byakurai!" Ichigo roared, discharging the crackling spirit energy in a huge stream of focused lightning. As the lightning reached Shūhei, it split off in three different directions, casting a net of forked lightning to hit Shūhei and rip throughout his body, causing minor damage to his nervous system.

Shūhei was sent flying into the arena wall after being hit by Ichigo's Kidō. He slowly got up and shook off the shock he was experiencing. After doing so, he ran at Ichigo and leapt above him, bringing his sword down over Ichigo. Ichigo raised his sword to block, but was taken completely by surprise by Shūhei's next move.

Instead of following through, he disappeared with Flash Step and appeared behind, Ichigo. Before he could properly react, Shūhei was able to strike at Ichigo, who only managed to twist his body to try and avoid the attack. The result was Shūhei hitting Ichigo on his side, just beneath the ribs. A small trickle of blood began to seep out of the shallow wound.

"Hmph, looks like I finally cut you." Shūhei said.

"Did I say you'd never be able to cut me? Ah, but that's beside the point. Point is, this is nothing; you're going to have to try much better than that." Ichigo said, holding a hand over the wound and his hand began to glow green. After a few seconds, he removed his hand and the cut was gone.

Grinding hit teeth in annoyance, Shūhei ran at Ichigo and began to mount another offensive attack. Leading with a series of quick strikes, he followed up with a feint and used Flash Step to try and catch Ichigo off guard.

Ichigo wasn't an idiot, no matter how much Renji said otherwise, he was smart enough to know better than use the same type of strategy twice in a row. Before Shūhei could react, Ichigo had pivoted on his foot and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick, smashing into Shūhei's side and knocking him across the arena.

Leading a counterattack with his own Flash Step, Ichigo appeared in front of Shūhei and smashed both his hands over his head, driving his body into the sand. Not taking any chances, Ichigo walked up to the stunned black haired boy, who managed to roll over and look at Ichigo and pointed a finger at him.

"Bakudō Number Four; Hainawa." Ichigo muttered, causing his opponent to become ensnared in a bright yellow chain. "Wait here for me, will you?" Ichigo said, gently smacking Shūhei's cheek as he walked over to the other side of the arena.

"Where are you going?! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT, DAMN YOU!" Shūhei roared, wriggling about, trying to break free from Ichigo's spell. Ichigo stopped and turned to his struggling opponent.

"How do you expect me to fight without my sword?" Ichigo said, grinning.

"You know what? Fuck the swords! You and me, right now, man on man." Shūhei said, managing to get upright and sit on his knees.

"You wanna go toe to toe with me? With no swords?" Ichigo asked. A small smirk appeared on his face. "Alright, fine. Have it your way." He said, snapping his fingers and breaking the spell he put on Shūhei.

Taking a fighting stance, Ichigo put one arm behind his back and held the other out in front of him, beckoning his opponent to attack. Shūhei wasted no time in attacking as he rushed in to fight Ichigo using only their fists.

Shūhei lead with a straight punch, which was blocked by Ichigo, who tugged on his arm, and pulled him in closer. He cocked his own fist back and swung at Shūhei's head, but he managed to avoid the potentially dangerous strike, by dropping to his haunches and used a leg sweep to knock Ichigo down to the floor.

On the way down, Ichigo, who still had hold of Shūhei's arm, pulled on it and dragged Shūhei over his body and landed on the sands across from him. Still not letting go of his arm, Ichigo twisted it and put his opponent in a cross-arm breaker, pulling down on it, causing Shūhei to cry out in pain.

While in an incredible amount of pain, Shūhei opened the hand Ichigo had a hold of and pointed a finger at his opponent.

"Hadō Number Four; Byakurai!" Shūhei cried out in a pained voice, causing spirit energy to gather at the tip of his finger before shooting out from the end. Ichigo had no choice but to release Shūhei before he got hit by the bolt of lightning.

Rolling up off the ground, Shūhei began to rotate his shoulder and flex the muscles in his arm. Ichigo had applied so much pressure that the blood circulation had been cut off. Any more pressure and his arm would have snapped at the elbow.

Ichigo ran towards Shūhei and went for a powerful uppercut, which his opponent _just_ managed to avoid. Bending back slightly, his head moved out of the strike path but his chin received a soft scrape from Ichigo's fist, causing the black haired teen to realise just how close the strike was; if he was a fraction of a second late in his dodge, he'd probably be on the ground, out cold.

Ichigo used the uppercut as a clever distraction and put his other arm around the back of Shūhei's neck, yanking him down into a powerful knee that was driven into his solar-plexus. Shūhei gasped as all the breath was knocked out of him. As Shūhei was falling to the floor, Ichigo drove an elbow into his back, forcing him down to the ground hard.

* * *

"It would appear both are somewhat skilled in hand to hand combat, but it seems Ichigo is the one with the upper hand right now…" Tōsen commented.

"I agree, I don't know how this kid is so good, but it sure makes for an exciting match, wouldn't you say, Captain Soifon? I mean, hand to hand combat is the primary skill for the Stealth Force, is it not?" Gin asked, turning his head to look at the petite Captain, who simply glared at Gin.

"Now, now, Captain Soifon. There's no need to get so worked up. Gin was simply making a comment on how the Stealth Force pride themselves on their prowess in hand-to-hand combat, isn't that right Gin?" Aizen asked, looking over at the two Captains.

"Oh, absolutely, it is most impressive. I do, however, believe neither combatant would be suited for your Squad; they're _too_ good. They might even end up showing you up." Gin said smirking, causing Soifon to growl and Aizen to roll his eyes.

"Stop it, both of you! We're here to observe a match between two young Academy students and the pair of you are quarrelling like children, and in front of the Head Captain no less! Have some respect for yourselves and those coats you wear! You're both acting like a disgrace!" Captain Komamura growled, his golden eyes glaring at the two Captains from behind his large helmet.

"I have to agree with Captain Komamura, your behaviour is childish and unbecoming." Byakuya stated coldly.

"Shut your mouth, Kuchiki! How dare you address a Captain, your superior, in such a way?!" Soifon shouted, standing up.

"Oh, here we go…" Shunsui sighed.

"Captain Soifon, please. You're meant to be a Captain, yet you're acting like an upstart Soul Reaper who thinks they have something to prove. Sit down before you embarrass yourself further." Ginrei said evenly. He was not about to let someone insult one of his Officers when they had a valid point, especially when said Officer was his grandson.

"Indeed… I wonder what Yoruichi Shihōin would think of your attitude." Gin said with a smirk, he knew that his comment would strike a nerve with the Squad Two Captain.

"Why you..!" Soifon growled and made to attack Gin when she felt the breath being ripped from her lungs. She collapsed to her knees, gasping and sweating, wondering why she could no longer breathe.

Slowly she managed to turn her head and saw a large shadow, exuding an even larger spiritual pressure, standing before her. Before she could do anything, she felt a large, rough hand grab the back of her Captain's coat and lift her into the air.

The next sight she was met with was a single yellow eye. The other was covered by a black eye-patch. Captain Zaraki had crushed her with his immense spiritual pressure, which every ounce was focused on her small body.

"Listen to me, you little runt. I know you're relatively new to this whole 'Captaincy' thing, but let me give you some advice. When I am trying to watch a battle between two bloodthirsty warriors, never, _ever_ disturb me." Kenpachi growled, causing Soifon to gulp in terror. The amount of spiritual energy this man – this _monster_ – had was devastating. Her entire body had gone numb from the sheer immensity of his spiritual pressure.

"I gotta say, Soi-soi, that wasn't a smart idea. You don't want to mess with Kenny when he's enjoying something. If this were a fight he was in, and you got in his way, you'd be dead right now. Yup!" Yachiru said, looking at the Captain with wide eyes.

"Is there anything else you wanna say, or are you going to sit down, shut the fuck up and let me go back to watching this bloodbath?" Zaraki whispered, his voice was so dark and cold, it chilled Soifon to her very core. She couldn't even speak, which Kenpachi took as a sign that she was no longer going to talk. "Good choice." He said, dropping Soifon to the ground and letting her crawl back to her seat, she was still shaking in terror.

"Thank you, Captain Zaraki, but your evaluation of this match is incorrect; very little blood has been spilled." Captain Unohana said as the large Captain took his seat next to her.

"Not yet… But this fight is only just beginning. Just you wait, Unohana; this is going to become a fucking war…" Kenpachi grinned, causing Unohana to simply nod. She knew better than anyone that by the end of this battle, the sands were going to be soaked with blood, and she _loved_ the thought of that.

* * *

"Wow, who knew Ichigo was so good at hand-to-hand combat?" Izuru said, watching as Ichigo and Shūhei fought toe-to-toe with one another.

"What do you mean? You're in the same class as he is. How could you not know?" Renji asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Actually, that's where you're wrong; when you all do close combat classes, I'm taking a class on poetry and haikus." Izuru responded.

"Huh? You're not serious." Renji said, causing Izuru to nod.

"Indeed I am. I've always had an appreciation for the literary arts, so much so that I've always wanted to expand my knowledge and my poetic skills." Izuru said with a smile.

"Wow…" Renji said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Oh, leave him alone Renji. I think those sorts of thing are very romantic. Maybe you should try learning poetry at some point; maybe then girls will actually find you attractive." Momo said, causing Izuru to stifle a laugh.

"Hey! I'll have you know lots of girls find me attractive!" Renji said, sounding annoyed and offended.

"Uh-huh, is that why you spend your afternoons sleeping in a tree, because you're trying to hide from all those girls?" Momo asked, rolling her eyes.

"I do that because I think I deserve a little 'me time'. I excel in my classes and I think that warrants some time to relax." Renji bit back.

"Oh, is that right? I wasn't aware blowing yourself up constantly in Kidō Class was considered, 'excelling'." Izuru said with a grin, causing Momo to laugh and Renji to simply ignore his friends and watch the match.

"To answer your question, Izuru, Ichigo is so good at hand-to-hand combat, because he took karate when he was a kid. By the time he died and came here, he was already a black-belt and one of the best – if not _the_ best – combatants in the country for his age group." Momo said.

"Incredible… Who knew he was so skilled and well versed in multiple forms of combat?" Izuru said, looking down at Ichigo, who had just punched Shūhei in the face.

"He's certainly special. I know that one day, he's going to become a Captain of one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; they'd be stupid not to have him as one!" Momo said proudly.

"Maybe you're right, Momo… Maybe you're right…" Izuru simply said, as he now turned his full attention to the match going on below.

* * *

The two combatants in the arena were still going at one another with their fists, showing no signs of letting up. Both were slowly starting to show fatigue but they weren't about to show it. Ichigo's lip was split after Shūhei had punched him in the mouth, which also resulted in his teeth being covered in blood. Shūhei, on the other hand, had blood all over his face from the busted nose he had gotten, courtesy of a strong headbutt from Ichigo, but wounds like these weren't about to slow them down, let alone stop them altogether.

Stopping for a moment to catch their breaths and rethink their respective strategies, Ichigo began to hear an all too familiar voice echoing around him.

" _Why are you just standing there? Attack him now!_ " It commanded.

"Gah, not _you_ again; go away and let me do this myself." He hissed.

" _Ichigo, you are going to find out very quickly just how closely you should listen to me, now do as I say!"_ The voice shouted, causing Ichigo to charge at Shūhei with a loud battle cry.

Seeing Ichigo rush at him, Shūhei adopted a defensive stance, lightly balanced on his feet, ready to shift his weight in whatever direction Ichigo's momentum took him. As the two clashed, Ichigo lunged at Shūhei, who grabbed his arm and followed through on Ichigo's motion and began to pull the orange haired teen over his head.

Ichigo, however, had other plans. As he was lifted up off the ground and over Shūhei, he twisted his body around and grabbed Shūhei's head and pulled him backwards too. Ichigo landed in the sand on his knees, his hands still clasped around Shūhei, whose head came crashing into the ground with a dense thud.

The spectators collectively flinched as they saw Shūhei's head connect with the ground. Ichigo, on the other hand, leaned in to Shūhei and spoke to him.

"Stay here; I'll be right back." He said before getting up and walking over to his sword that was sticking out of the ground, where he had left it.

As he picked up his sword, he heard Shūhei standing up. Ichigo turned around and saw he had begun to draw a triangle of crackling yellow spirit energy in front of him.

"Bakudō Number Thirty; Shitotsu Sansen!" Shūhei shouted, his voice strained from the knock to the head he had just taken.

Immediately, the three corners of the triangle, formed pointed arrowheads that shot forward at Ichigo with incredible speed.

" _Move, now! Or this battle is over!_ " The voice commanded, causing Ichigo to vanish with a Flash Step.

Shūhei knew his opponent would use Flash Step to avoid his Bakudō, and he planned accordingly. Knowing where Ichigo would strike from, Shūhei simply turned around and prepared the second stage of his attack. He formed a long, blue-white lance of spirit energy and waited for Ichigo to appear.

"Bakudō Number Sixty-Two; Hyapporankan!" Shūhei yelled as he threw the lance directly at Ichigo, who had appeared seconds before.

The lance split and formed one hundred smaller lances that covered a wide area, making escape impossible. The lances slammed into Ichigo and sent him flying into the wall of the arena, held in place by the lances.

"Damn it! Goddamn it!" Ichigo yelled, trying to pry the lances off of him with no success. Shūhei walked up and grabbed his sword

"Just give up, you bastard. You can't get out of that trap. Most Soul Reapers can't break a Bakudō that's numbered in the sixties. You'll have no chance at all." Shūhei said arrogantly as he dragged the tip of his blade through the sand before lifting it up and pointing at Ichigo.

"Wow, I must've really gave you a serious head injury with that last attack. Hmm, now I know I'm not as skilled as Captain Unohana, but let me see here… Over-confident, arrogant, incredibly sure of themselves, delusions of grandeur… My prognosis would be a minor concussion, combined with what I like to call 'arrogant dickhead syndrome'. Tell me; am I in the ballpark with my evaluation?" Ichigo said with a snort.

The next thing Ichigo felt was a searing pain across his torso. He looked down and saw a moderately deep slash from his left shoulder, all the way across to his right hip. Blood began to pour from the wound. Ichigo grimaced in pain as Shūhei had slashed him across the chest.

"Even in your predicament, you still find the time and energy to make jokes. I have to admit, you got balls. But this is where it ends for you." Shūhei said, preparing to deliver a final strike to Ichigo.

Starting to feel desperate, Ichigo began to frantically struggle against the lances that had pinned him to the wall, but his efforts were useless. There was no way he'd let this arrogant bastard beat him, not like this at least. Still trying to break out of the Bakudō Shūhei had used, an idea hit him. Wasting no time, he dropped his free hand and faced the palm against the wall. He began charging spirit energy into a red ball in his palm.

"Hadō Number Thirty-One; Shakkahō!" Ichigo discharged the ball of spirit energy into the wall, blowing a sizeable hole into it, freeing himself. The lances fell from the wall and his body, shattering into dust as they hit the floor.

Using Flash Step, Ichigo put some distance between himself and Shūhei before readying his next attack. Keeping low to the ground, Ichigo charges in and strikes with his sword. His strike was aimed at Shūhei's legs in such a way that he couldn't do anything to defend. He tried his best to block, but his sword was swatted away and he fell to the ground after suffering a deep wound to the back of his calf.

With his opponent immobilised, temporary as it might be, Ichigo decided now would be as good a time as any to deal with his own wounds. He stuck his sword into the sands again and began to focus spirit energy into his hands, causing them to glow green. Placing one of his hands over his left shoulder, he began to mend his injuries.

"Y'know, I have to admit, I never expected you to use Hyapporankan so effectively. I thought it was too advanced for us Academy Students." Ichigo said, looking down at his opponent.

"Well, there's a lot you don't know about me." Shūhei retorted, glaring at Ichigo as he was healing himself.

"Oh, is that right? Well, how about you give me a little insight into just who you are and what you can do, but keep it short, I don't really have time to hear your life story." Ichigo said as he watched Shūhei struggle to get to his feet after tearing a sleeve from his robe to use as a tourniquet for the time being.

"Don't worry; I won't need to say any more than two words to show you what I can do…" Shūhei began as he raised his sword and pointed it at Ichigo. "Reap; Kazeshini!" Shūhei said as he was enveloped in a cyclone of spirit energy. Once the whirlwind had subsided, Shūhei was no longer holding a sword, but a pair of dual bladed scythes that were attached by a long chain.

 _So, that's what your Shikai looks like, huh? Not bad…_ Ichigo thought to himself as he looked at his opponent who was standing before him. Ichigo simply stood there; an emotionless expression across his face. He knew that if Captain Unohana hadn't given him forewarning about Shūhei's Shikai, he'd be freaking out right now, but instead, he simply stood there. Not moving and not saying anything.

"Hmph… I must say I'm rather impressed by your reaction. Most people start to panic when they see my Shikai. Though, I think panic will soon set in after I show you just what I can do with this thing." Shūhei said as he leapt into the air and hurled one of the scythes at Ichigo.

The blade was spinning incredibly fast, and Ichigo wasn't sure how to respond. In the end, he simply raised his sword to block the strike, but that proved as useless as trying to stop a chainsaw with a small book. The scythes spun around and simply swatted Ichigo's sword away before carrying on its path and tearing right through Ichigo's shoulder with no resistance. Ichigo fell his knees, totally dumbfounded by this new difference in power.

 _That's incredible. The sheer difference in power now… Before, we were evenly matched; hell, I'm pretty sure I was winning, but now… Now I don't think I can do it. Dammit._ Ichigo thought as his body collapsed to the sands and blood began to spill out from the wound on his shoulder, soaking the sands.

* * *

"Well, looks like that's it. Guess it was to be expected, I suppose. You can't expect to contend against a Shikai without your own. That's just madness." Shunsui simply shrugged. He felt sorry for Ichigo; he really had proven to be one hell of a fighter, especially for someone so green.

"Is that right, Kyōraku? I don't have one of those damn Shikai, yet I can crush all of you in battle." Zaraki says with a grin.

"Yes, I do believe that's why Captain Kyōraku said it was 'madness'." Captain Unohana regarded the barbaric Captain with a smile. "However, we must commend Ichigo's valour in battle, especially since he had no idea about his opponent's Shikai." Unohana stated. She knew the latter part of her statement was a lie, but she wasn't about to admit to telling Ichigo about Shūhei's Shikai.

"Indeed, even after Shūhei released his Zanpakutō, he didn't panic or worry. He simply stood there; ready to take on the incoming storm. It was just his bad luck that he didn't know how to prepare and inevitably got swamped." Captain Komamura said, shaking his head. In reality, he really was disappointed the battle ended the way it had. Ichigo was really starting to grow on him, and even found himself silently cheering the orange haired teen on at times.

"Oh, well that was indeed disappointing. Such a shame to see something so good end so soon and in such a way; wouldn't you agree, Captain Aizen?" Gin said, looking over at Aizen.

"Yes, it was a rather disappointing outcome, but we must remember, there is a large gap in experience between Ichigo and Shūhei. Ichigo is naturally talented, of that there is no doubt, but in the end, experience proved the victor in today's contest." Aizen said, resulting in several other Captains to nod in agreement.

"Ooooh! Look, Kenny, look! Ichi is still alive and is trying to get up! Yay, Ichi!" Yachiru shouted, looking over the edge of the stand she was in. After seeing Ichigo fall in battle, she wanted to get a closer look so she climbed down from her Captain's back and went to look over the edge of the stand to see more of the arena.

"What?! That's not possible! He took a direct hit from Shūhei; he should be unconscious!" Jūshirō stated in complete surprise.

"No, the girl is right; Ichigo's spiritual pressure is showing that he is indeed conscious. Not only that, but it's starting to increase as well!" Captain Tōsen stated causing all the Captains and Lieutenants to look over at Ichigo. He _was_ trying to stand up.

"Don't do this Ichigo… You've already proven yourself to everyone here today. Don't throw your life away over something like this." Captain Komamura whispered to himself, his large plate covered hands were gripping the arm of his chair, cracking the wood ever so slightly.

"Well, I have to admire his tenacity and his power of will. To take a hit like he did and still want to fight. It's certainly brave…" Shunsui said with a grin.

 _It's not brave, it's stupid. Dammit, Ichigo Kurosaki, you are a pathetic fool!_ Soifon thought to herself. She wasn't about to voice her opinion out loud, not when she was still terrified of Captain Zaraki.

"Wait a minute, look at his shoulder. The wound; I think it's stopped bleeding!" Kaien said, looking at Ichigo as he stood up.

"Lieutenant Shiba is right; the wound has completely stopped bleeding. How is this possible?!" Nanao asked, looking down at the sands in disbelief.

"It would appear Ichigo's spirit is doing all it can to prevent him from dying. The increase in his spiritual pressure must be from his soul trying to sustain life by using all of its strength to seal the wound and save him from death by exsanguination." Captain Unohana stated, not really sure herself as to what's happening. Even she, in all her years as Squad Four Captain had never seen a Soul Reaper perform such a feat. Everything she had just said was a simple hypothesis.

"Are you saying this battle's not over? Heh, good. Let's just sit back and watch the blood flow." Kenpachi said, sitting down and allowing Yachiru to climb onto his shoulder again.

* * *

"Oh no…" Izuru whispered in shock as he watched Shūhei's blade slice through Ichigo's shoulder.

"Dammit…" Renji grimaced, seeing the blade slice cleanly through his friend's shoulder. He knew that if the blade had cut a few inches closer to the shoulder, then Ichigo's whole left arm would have been cut off.

"Ichigo!" Mom shouted, standing up. Tears were starting to form in her eyes as she watched Ichigo drop to the floor; blood starting to pool all around his body.

No-one was really sure what to say. Izuru and Renji looked at each other, a look of worry painted on their faces. Momo simply sat down and burst into tears. Izuru put an arm around her shoulder and hugged her, not saying anything.

For several long moments, Renji just simply watched the two combatants in the arena below. After a while, he saw Shūhei shrug and turn his back on Ichigo as he began to walk away. Feeling incredibly angry at Shūhei's lack of concern for his opponent, Renji stood up and was about to shout at Shūhei when he saw something. It looked like Ichigo was moving.

"Hey, you guys, I think Ichigo is moving." Renji said, squinting to see if he was right.

"Renji, now's not the time to make jokes, and if that's your attempt at cheering up Momo, then it sucks." Izuru said, looking at Renji with an annoyed look.

"A joke…? What, no! I'm being serious! He's trying to get up!" Renji shouted, pointing down at Ichigo, who was indeed trying to stand up.

"It can't be… Ichigo _is_ trying to stand up! Momo, look!" Izuru shouted, causing Momo to look at Ichigo. She wiped the tears that were in her eyes away and saw that Ichigo was getting up, albeit with great difficulty.

"Damn, that kid's got guts. No-one can ever say he hasn't." Renji said with a smirk.

"Well, looks like this battle isn't over just yet, huh?" Izuru said, keeping his arm around Momo and pulling her in closer, causing her to smile and shake her head.

* * *

 _Dammit. Is this really it? After all that, I fall from a single strike to his Shikai? Goddamn it. It can't end like this. I WON'T let it end like this!_ Ichigo thought to himself as he began to slip into unconsciousness.

" _Ichigo…_ " An all too familiar voice called out to him, causing him to retain consciousness.

Ichigo looked up to see Shūhei walking away, and then the image seemed to freeze and the world around him stopped moving. The only thing that was moving was a tall dark figure, slowly walking towards him. The figure reached Ichigo and crouched down in front of him.

" _Do you want to fight to win, or merely to survive?_ " The figure asked. Ichigo realised that this figure was the source of the voice that he's been hearing while in combat.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ichigo hissed, his voice barely audible.

" _Do you want to win this fight, or do you just simply wish to walk away alive?_ " The figure asked.

"I… I want to… I want to win." Ichigo choked out, spitting out a large amount of blood that was in his mouth.

" _Really? Because it looks like you have just given up. Look at yourself; a big, bloody mess. If this is how you're going to act when your opponent is stronger, then you don't deserve to win!_ " He shouted, causing Ichigo to grind his teeth in anger.

"I'm not… Giving up. I'll show you. I'll show them all. I don't want to win… I NEED TO WIN!" He shouted, starting to get up.

" _Good. If you're so determined to see this through, then you will need my help. Grab your sword, Ichigo, and I will tell you what you need to know to win._ " The figure pushed Ichigo's sword over to him, which Ichigo proceeded to grab and ended up being enveloped in a flash of white light.

* * *

When the light had subsided, Ichigo no longer found himself in the arena. He looked around and found himself sat on the ground, looking up at the sky. It was bright and sunny, with a few clouds aimlessly drifting about. He did find it weird that the sky seemed to be directly in front of him and not above him, but he didn't have time to question it.

"Where am I?" Ichigo asked, still sitting down.

"We're in your own world, Ichigo." A voice said, causing Ichigo to look around.

"Who said that? Where are you?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm right here." The voice spoke, and when Ichigo turned around to look in front of him, he saw a man walking towards him.

Ichigo could now see the man clearly and wasn't restricted to just a voice or a black shadow. The man walking towards him was tall. He had long black and brown hair and a thin scruffy beard. He wore a pair of wrap-around sunglasses, which were reflecting the sunlight in such a way that you could only see one of his eyes. He was wearing a white dress shirt, black trousers and low-cut boots, along with a long flowing burgundy overcoat that was tattered and ripped at the bottom.

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked as the man who now stood before him.

"What do you mean? You know who I am. I am Zangetsu." The man said to Ichigo, who didn't seem to register what he had said.

 _Strange… I could see him talking, but I couldn't hear his name… Why is that?_ Ichigo thought to himself as he examined the man before him.

"It appears you are still not in touch with your true powers. Very well, it looks like I'll have to speed things along here." Zangetsu said, as he held a giant sword that had no guard on its hilt and closely resembled that of a Khyber Knife, except this sword was almost as long as Ichigo's body.

"What the–?! Where did that sword come from?! I know you didn't have it a few seconds ago!" Ichigo shouted.

"Wrong; I've been holding on to it this whole time. I've just simply allowed you to see it now." Zangetsu stated. "This blade holds the power you want – the power you need – to win your fight and any battles you will no doubt face in the future."

"So, you're just going to give me the sword?" Ichigo asked, looking sceptical.

"Don't be foolish. You think I'm just going to _give_ you power? You need to _earn_ it! Prove to me you deserve to wield this blade." Zangetsu said, making the blade vanish and a thousand white boxes to appear all around Ichigo.

"Huh? Where did the sword go, and what's with all the boxes? You want me to play some form a 'Whack-A-Mole'?" Ichigo asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"No, in one of these boxes lies the power you seek. You must find it. However, you only get one chance to find it. You must find the right box. If you do, you will be worthy of carrying that sword. Should you fail, then you will be deemed unworthy and you can go back to being a weakling who is undeserving of victory." Zangetsu said coldly, causing Ichigo to scowl at the man.

"Fine. I'll play your stupid game." Ichigo said as he turned to the field of boxes that was looming before him. "Now… How do I find that sword? Dammit, this is going to be a pain." Ichigo said to himself as he began to walk around and look for the box with the sword in it.

Several minutes passed, but to Ichigo, it might as well have been several hours. He was slowly walking around, trying to see if he could figure out a way to find the box he was looking for.

"Alright let's think about this… The sword is clearly important, especially since the Old Man was holding it and was able to hide it from me and pull off this stupid little trick. That must mean the pair are connected somehow. If that's the case, then both are connected to me, meaning that the Old Man must be the manifestation of my Soul Reaper Powers, and the sword is my Shikai! That's awesome! But, how do I prove to the Old Man I'm worth of this power and find the sword? What if I…" Ichigo trailed off and began to focus, trying to discern if any of the boxes were giving off any spiritual pressure.

When he focused, he found all the boxes were giving off spiritual pressure. So much for that idea. He began to walk around again, thinking on how to discern which box was the right one. After a while of walking about, deep in thought, an idea struck him. Something he learned from his classes at the Academy. Spirit Ribbons.

He knew Spirit Ribbons were used to locate and track souls and he knew that Soul Reapers had a distinct colour. When he realised he wasn't paying total attention to the class, due his fatigue from overexerting himself in training for his battle with Shūhei, he shouted in anger.

"Son of a bitch! Why did I have to pick _that_ class to not focus in?! 'Oh, don't worry about it, Ichigo; you won't need to learn this stuff until you become a Soul Reaper'. Goddamn it!" He shouted, angry at himself for his laziness. "Fine… Fine… Let's just focus and see what we find. If the sword is the only thing I'm looking for, then its spirit ribbon should be distinct." Ichigo said as he began to focus on drawing out the spirit energy from the boxes.

After several minutes of focusing, Ichigo noticed the boxes all began to manifest Spirit Ribbons. All of them were white, except for three. One was as red as blood, another was a shade of the purest blue and the final one was a mix of dark red and black.

"Alright, well that certainly narrowed it down. I've gone from a 0.1% chance to a 33% chance in one go. That's pretty good, if I do say so myself." Ichigo smirked as he saw all the boxes with white Spirit Ribbons vanished, leaving him with the three coloured ones. "Now then… Which one is the right one? I remember something about red and black, so that means the blue one isn't it."

After Ichigo concluded the box with the blue Spirit Ribbon was wrong, it disappeared, leaving only two boxes. He now knew he had a 50/50 chance of getting it right.

"Well, my first instinct would be to go with the red one, as I remember something about that in class. But I also remember someone mentioning black too… I can't remember if they said anything about red and black together though…" Ichigo scratched his head in thought, until something hit him. "Wait a second… His coat is the same colour as this Spirit Ribbon. If he is a manifestation of my Soul Reaper Powers, then it would stand to reason that this Spirit Ribbon is a part of him!" Ichigo said as he grabbed the box with the red and black Spirit Ribbon and opened it.

As he opened the box, he saw the hilt of a sword that was wrapped in cloth and had no guard. He smiled to himself and pulled the blade all the way out of the box. As he did so, there was an explosion of red and black spirit energy that went as soon as it came. Ichigo thought nothing of it as he proudly held the sword in his hands.

"Hmm, it would seem you are indeed worthy of wielding that blade, and by extension, me as well." Zangetsu said as Ichigo turned around to face him, with a huge grin on his face. "Very well, now I will speak my name once more and hope you can now hear it. I am Zangetsu." The Old Man spoke, and Ichigo could finally hear it.

"Zangetsu…" Ichigo whispered, and no sooner had the name passed his lips, he felt an explosion of spiritual pressure envelop him.

"Now, I will teach you how to release me in battle…" Zangetsu said as he walked over to Ichigo and placed a single finger on his forehead, once again consuming the orange haired teen in a flash of bright light.

* * *

In the Arena, everyone thought the battle was over and decided after Shūhei had sliced Ichigo's shoulder with his scythe-like Zanpakutō. No-one expected to see Ichigo stand up under his own power again.

"Just where do you think you're going?" A voice spoke, causing Shūhei to stop in his tracks and turn around. To his utter shock, he saw Ichigo standing there, covered in blood, but still very much conscious and ready to fight.

"H-How…? How are you still standing?!" Shūhei cried in disbelief. "You lost all that blood. You shouldn't even be conscious, let alone able to stand up!"

"Well, looks like you were wrong about me after all… Get ready, Shūhei, because this next attack is going to be the final one." Ichigo said with a wicked grin.

"What are you–?" Shūhei asked as Ichigo lifted his sword up and pointed it directly at Shūhei, placing two fingers on the flat side of the blade before looking his opponent dead in the eyes.

"Disrupt… ZANGETSU!" Ichigo roared as he was engulfed in an explosion of blue spirit energy. His spiritual pressure began to skyrocket, causing Shūhei to fall to a knee.

"Impossible! How has he already got Shikai?! This isn't possible, and this spiritual pressure… What _is_ he?!" Shūhei shouted, unable to hear himself over the hurricane that that was surrounding Ichigo.

After the hurricane had subsided, Shūhei witnessed Ichigo standing there with a massive sword pointed towards him. He now noticed that the wounds he had inflicted on Ichigo had stopped bleeding.

"Are you ready?" Ichigo asked, taking a battle-ready stance, preparing to end this in one strike like he said.

"Bring it." Shūhei growled, standing up, readying himself for what would be his final attack. He knew this was going to be all of nothing.

Ichigo ran towards Shūhei, his sword raised and ready to attack as Shūhei held one of his scythes in his hand and began to spin the other one around in front of him. The blade began spinning at incredible speeds, slicing up the ground and creating a small sandstorm.

As Ichigo got closer, Shūhei flicked the chain that connected the two scythes and began spinning the blade above his head. Once Ichigo was within range, he hurled the blade at his opponent. It ripped through the air at blinding speeds straight for Ichigo, intent on cutting him in two.

Ichigo raised his own blade and as the scythe got closer, he stopped running and swung his blade outwards, colliding with the blade Shūhei had thrown. As the scythe shredded against Ichigo's Zanpakutō, sparks began to fly as the two metal bodies collided with incredible strength.

Ichigo focused all of his strength into his blade and was finally able to swat the scythe away, much to Shūhei's surprise. Wasting little time, Ichigo rushed in close to Shūhei and raised his giant blade above his head. Shūhei made an attempt to block, but it proved futile.

Ichigo sliced his sword down, shattering Shūhei's Zanpakutō and slicing through his robe, deep into his chest. Blood erupted from the wound, covering Ichigo's face and body. He was now covered in a mix of his own blood and the blood of Shūhei. Shūhei groaned slightly before he collapsed into the sand; now it was his blood that was staining the sands red. It didn't take long for Shūhei to pass out from massive blood loss.

Ichigo had won, but he didn't have time to revel in his victory. He had cut Shūhei deeply, more so than he had intended. He couldn't explain it, but there was a split second where he had no control and was overcome by bloodlust and a desire to kill. Given it was only a fraction of a second, he put it down to nothing more than the adrenaline rush he was experiencing from unleashing his own Shikai.

Looking at his opponent, he dropped his blade and rolled Shūhei onto his back and tore off his robe, he began to frantically heal Shūhei, but his skill alone wouldn't be enough to save him. He looked up to where the Captains and Lieutenants were seated and looked right into the eyes of one particular Captain, before shouting.

"UNOHANA!"

* * *

"It cannot be… Not only is he standing, but his spiritual pressure is increasing at an incredible rate. How is this possible?!" Jūshirō gasped as he watched Ichigo stand up and prepare to fight.

"My, my… This kid is full of surprises." Shunsui mused.

"It's incredible. Not only did he survive such a grievous wound, but he somehow managed to stop the bleeding _and_ stand up again. I've never seen anything like it." Ginrei commented, watching the orange haired boy with surprise.

"…ZANGETSU!" Ichigo roared as he was engulfed in a hurricane of raw spiritual energy.

"What?! That can't be… His Shikai?! How the hell has he got that?!" Soifon yelled in disbelief, not caring about what Zaraki might do to her for speaking again.

"Well, _this_ is certainly a surprise. I don't think anyone was expecting this." Gin said as he watched the hurricane of spirit energy die down and bear witness to Ichigo's Shikai.

The Captains and Lieutenants watched as Shūhei began to spin his Zanpakutō around and Ichigo charge at Shūhei. They watched as Shūhei hurled his Zanpakutō at Ichigo, who manage to deflect it and close in on his opponent. They all watched as Ichigo sliced into Shūhei and watched him fall to the ground.

"Goodness! That was rather brutal, wasn't it?!" Nanao exclaimed, turning away from the scene as she saw Ichigo get covered in Shūhei's blood.

"Yeah, I think the kid went a little overboard…" Shunsui said, looking at the two Academy Students in shock.

"Are you kidding? That was fucking incredible! I knew this was going to be a fucking war and those two certainly delivered! HA!" Zaraki roared in delight.

"C'mon, Zaraki, they're just kids. They shouldn't be taking these kinds of battles so seriously." Shunsui said, turning around to look at the deranged Captain.

While all of this unfolded and all the Captains engaged in various conversations with one another, there was one Captain who couldn't take her eyes off what she just saw. As she looked on, she saw Ichigo look directly at her.

"UNOHANA!" He roared, causing the Squad Four Captain to vanish from her seat and appear next to Ichigo with a Flash Step.

* * *

Ichigo was frantically trying to stop the bleeding when Captain Unohana arrived. She could tell he was in a right state. He was panicked and making a mess of things.

"Calm down, Ichigo. I'm here now." Unohana said gently, removing his blood-soaked hands from Shūhei's body, she began to assess the damage. "Hmm, a deep, singular wound stretching from the right shoulder to the left hip. Several ribs have been sliced apart and some of his internal organs have been badly ruptured. Internal bleeding and severe internal trauma. I need to operate on him immediately." Unohana said, as she raised a hand to summon her Lieutenant.

Isane arrived immediately and handed Unohana her Zanpakutō. She unsheathed it and released it.

"Minazuki." She whispered, causing the blade to break down and manifest as a giant mantaray-like creature.

Minazuki wasted no time and scooped up Shūhei in its mouth and lay down so Unohana and Isane could climb on. Without another word, Unohana and Isane flew off on Minazuki, to take Shūhei to Squad Four for immediate surgery. She wanted Ichigo to accompany her, but after she arrived at his side, he didn't say anything and refused to look at her, or even move from where he was kneeling. His head was hung low in shame. Unohana felt nothing but sympathy for the poor boy. She knew it wasn't intentional, but there was nothing she could do for him now; not when a life hung in the balance.

After Unohana had left, Ichigo picked up his sword, strapped it to his back and not once looked up at anyone. Not even Momo. He couldn't bear to even look at her. With his head hung low, he simply left the arena with Flash Step…

* * *

 **A/N; Oh, by the graces of the Gods, I have finally finished this fucking Chapter! I beg your forgiveness in regards to how long this took. You have no idea how difficult it was to write this without it sounding corny, cliché or repetitive (and I'm pretty sure I failed with the latter). I have an obligation to write something incredible for all of you to read, and I have high standards for my work, as you all come here to read it, and I don't want to disappoint you or have you leaving with a bitter taste in your mouth over the content. I had so many ideas, but I had to find a way to mix them all together, and I feel like I did reasonably well. I hope the Chapter makes sense, is clear and descriptive.**

 **So, Ichigo finally has a Shikai (I say 'finally', but this is only Chapter 5, so it's still early days for this story) and I hope I did a good job with how he got it. I took some stuff from Canon then altered it to suit my needs; I hope it was done well. I thought it'd be cool to have Ichigo do the same thing Zaraki did to him in the Anime/Manga, but make it so that it was Unohana who gave him the idea. I'm sure you'll see there are times where Canon Material does come into this and that you all approve.  
**

 **I figured it'd be impossible to write a Chapter that was purely combat without it becoming dull and repetitive, so I thought I'd change perspectives and have the Captain's all discuss the fight and have some talk between Renji, Izuru and Momo too. Mainly to keep things interesting and to make this chapter long enough (I'll never do a Chapter that is less than 10,000 words. To me, anything less than 10,000 isn't long enough and I will recraft parts of the story to extend and describe various bits should I find myself lacking the required word count), I hope the quality of my work hasn't been spoiled because of this. I also hope you like how I did the whole 'story overlap' at the end, so you could see it from the perspective of everyone all at the same time, so to speak.  
**

 **Lastly, thank you all who left a review, has favourited and/or followed both this story and me. Your kind words and actions humble me, and I hope to keep delivering top quality content until the end of this story and for any other stories I decide to write. If you do decide to leave a review, I would love to hear from you and any questions or queries that you might have, I'll start by answering them at the end of the next Chapter. As the time of this Chapter being uploaded, my story has had 1,000 hits, which I think is incredible! Thank you all again, you're all wonderful people.**


	6. Fallout

Chapter Six – Fallout

It had been several weeks since the match between Ichigo and Shūhei, in which Ichigo had acquired his Shikai and mortally wounded Shūhei as a result. No matter what he did or how he thought, he could not get over the shame and self-hate over what he had done. He knew that he hadn't intended on cutting him so deeply, so why did it happen?

In the following weeks, he had distanced himself from his friends and everyone else at the academy, though the latter had been easier than expected. People would now look at Ichigo with contempt, disgust, malice… and fear. As he walked the corridors of the Academy, people would move out of his way, in fear of being hurt by him. This, of course, was all fuelled by nothing more than rumour and gossip. People knew about the bad blood between the two teens, so they used that as a reason for Ichigo's vicious attack that almost killed Shūhei.

Renji, at first, simply stayed out of it. He knew Ichigo would want space and decided not to force the issue. Izuru was torn as to what to do. He knew Ichigo was in a bad way and wanted to console his friend, but also wanted to respect his wishes of being left alone. Momo, on the other hand, was the most affected by these events. Ichigo had said next to nothing to her, Renji or Izuru since the battle, other than the words 'I'm sorry' and 'Do yourself a favour and stay away from me'.

This was obviously affecting Momo greatly. First she felt angry at Renji, who simply shrugged and acted as if it wasn't his problem. She was upset because her boyfriend, someone she cared about almost as much as her cousin, Tōshirō, was distancing himself from her. She was also incredibly worried as Ichigo has done nothing but train during his free time. She'd see him out on the training field in the afternoon, and come evening, she'd still find him there, all beat up and exhausted.

This had been going on constantly, so she decided that it was best to talk to someone who knew the situation better, or could at least give her insight into Ichigo's state of mind. This is how she found herself in the Squad Four Barracks with Izuru.

"Good morning, Momo. Izuru." Isane said, bowing as she greeted the two Academy Students.

"Good morning Lieutenant Kotetsu. Is it possible to see Captain Unohana?" Momo asked, bowing to the Squad Four Lieutenant.

"Yes, that should be fine. She's just finishing up an appointment with her patient, so she should be right out. Just take a seat and I'll let her know you're waiting." Isane said, smiling to the two students.

Momo bowed again and made her way over to the seating area to wait for Captain Unohana. Izuru followed and they both sat down next to each other.

"Don't worry, Momo. If anyone can shed some light on this, it's Captain Unohana. Not only because she's the greatest Medic in the Soul Society, but also because she's worked closely with Ichigo. Well, up until, y'know…" Izuru said trailing off as he referred to the fight.

After the battle, Ichigo had left the arena and disappeared for a week. No-one saw him and he stopped going to class. He even stopped going to see Captain Unohana for their weekly training sessions. He had also stopped going to Squad Thirteen to see Kaien and his wife, Miyako, twice a week. After he came out of hiding, he simply went to class, then went out to the training field and trained until his body was broken, healed himself with his knowledge of Medical Kidō and continued. Whether the training had paid off, Izuru or Momo couldn't say. They had hoped Captain Unohana would be able to tell them more.

For several minutes, the duo simply sat there in silence. Momo had her head hung low to the floor, looking at her feet. Izuru sat up in his chair, lightly tapping a finger on his knee in time with the ticking of the clock that was on the wall behind them. Eventually, they heard a door open and out walked Captain Unohana.

"Good morning, Momo. Good morning, Izuru." She smiled at the pair. "What can I do for you today?"

"Umm… I was hoping that… Well, what I wanted to ask you is…" Momo began, struggling to find the right words.

"We want to talk to you about Ichigo." Izuru said confidently. "We're worried about him and we were hoping you could help us." Izuru saw Captain Unohana frown upon the mention of Ichigo.

"I see… Come with me, we'll talk in my office." She said as she ushered the pair through the door she had come though and directed them to her office. "Alright, so what's been happening? I haven't seen Ichigo since the match between him and Shūhei."

"That's what we want to talk to you about. After the battle, he simply vanished and no-one saw him for a week. After that, he became distant and stopped talking. All he does now is trains until sunset and we don't know what to do." Izuru said.

"Well, I'm afraid I don't know much about the situation, as I haven't seen him since I took Shūhei away for surgery, but given how closely I worked with him for the past several months, I think I can speculate as to what he's feeling. In my mind, he's ashamed. Ashamed and frightened. I know he didn't intend on hurting Shūhei so badly. If he did, he wouldn't have started to panic and try to heal him. He simply would have stood there and watched his life ebb away. His actions there tell me that what he did wasn't intentional. Somehow, things got out of hand and that resulted in Shūhei being mortally wounded. I think he's ashamed that he let that happen." Unohana stated, basing her hypothesis on her relationship with Ichigo.

"That makes sense. Ichigo is a protector; a guardian. He wouldn't do such a terrible thing to someone, just because they were mean to him." Momo said, nodding her head. "But what I don't get is why you think he's frightened. He's so strong; what could he possibly be frightened about.

"To put it simply? Power. That's what frightens him. He is incredibly strong, there no doubt about that. I even have reason to believe his spiritual pressure rivals that of a Third Seat, if not a Lieutenant. But I think it's his incredible strength that scares him. You know the saying; 'with great power, comes even greater responsibility'. Ichigo feels that he is to blame for what happened to Shūhei, because he was unable to control his incredible power." Unohana said.

"So, do you think that's the reason he's training so hard? He's afraid of losing control of his power and hurting someone else?" Izuru asked, getting a nod from Unohana.

"I believe so. Ichigo is the sort of person who uses his power to protect people, not harm them. The fact he knows how much power he has right now, but lost control of it, it scared him. If he can't control his power, who's to say something like this won't happen again… Or worse?" Unohana said, causing Momo to gasp. She knew exactly what Unohana meant.

"You don't really think Ichigo is capable of doing such a heinous thing, do you?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Not deliberately, but if he can't control his power, then it's certainly a possibility we must address. I think this is why he's training so hard." Unohana said, trying her best to assure Momo.

"I almost forgot; how's Shūhei doing, Captain?" Izuru asked, trying to change the subject before Momo got upset over the fact her boyfriend could possibly kill someone.

"For the most part, he's stable and slowly recovering. He's still critical, but I'm confident he'll make a full recovery, and there should be no scarring. The wound was a clean incision, almost like it was made with a scalpel, ironically. There was little to no tearing of the skin or muscle tissue, just a straight, clean cut." Unohana said, smiling at the relieved looks on Izuru's and Momo's faces.

"Oh, that's good. Ichigo will be pleased to hear that." Momo said, her face and overall demeanour brightening considerably.

"Indeed. I think we should go tell him now, don't you think?" Izuru said, looking at Momo.

"I don't know… Is that such a good idea?" Momo asked, looking to Captain Unohana.

"I can't see the harm in it. I'm sure it'll do Ichigo a world of good to hear Shūhei will be alright. It might break him out of his feelings of shame." Unohana said, smiling.

"Great! Let's go, Izuru!" Momo said energetically. She stood up and before Izuru had time to react, he felt a hand on the shoulder of his robe, dragging him out of the office, causing him to protest that he could walk on his own.

Captain Unohana chuckled and walked over to a table in the corner of her office and poured herself a cup of tea. She made her way back to her desk and sat down. As she sat down, she let out a deep sigh.

She felt bad about not being completely honest with the two Academy Students, but there was nothing she could do. While what she said about Ichigo was true in her mind, and the fact Shūhei would make a full recovery was also true. She omitted a few facts of information from her examination.

What she didn't tell them was the fact Ichigo's spiritual pressure after releasing his Shikai was worrying. Frightening, even. While she saw his spirit energy was blue, she felt like it was masking an incredibly dark, heavy, underlying spiritual pressure. One that felt incredibly toxic and made her feel physically sick.

The other fact she left out was what she found in the wound Ichigo had left on Shūhei's body. When she was using her Kidō to heal the wound, she found the body was rejecting the spell. The more energy she used, the more the body rejected it and the faster Shūhei's health began to deteriorate. Upon closer examination, she found the entire wound was full of black sludge. At least, that's what she thought at first. She had extracted all the sludge and sent a sample over to Squad Twelve for a full analysis, and the results were terrifying.

Squad Twelve had examined the substance taken from Shūhei and determined it wasn't sludge at all. It wasn't even organic. It was pure, heavily concentrated spirit energy. What made this so terrifying was the fact it was so dense and so heavily concentrated, it actually had the ability to poison the host and break down the spirit particles and reishi bonds within the body, causing massive internal trauma by essentially liquefying muscle tissue and internal organs. Had Unohana simply closed up the wound and not examined the substance properly, Shūhei would have died and when she would have opened him up to do an autopsy, his internal organs would have been a thick, gooey pool of blood, stomach acid and muscle tissue.

As the most experience Medical Practitioner in the Soul Society, Captain Unohana learned her craft from none other than Tenjirō Kirinji of the Royal Guard. As a result, she had seen almost every kind of gory sight before and nothing shocked her. This, however, was a whole other kettle of fish. Just the very thought of opening up a body and seeing a vile sight such as that made her feel sick. Even thinking about the possible smell made her gag slightly.

Sighing, she pushed her cup of tea away from her. There was no way she was going to be able to drink it and keep it down now. Instead, she stood up and walked over to her window and looked out at the Seireitei.

"Oh, Ichigo… Just what kind of powers have you tapped in to…?" She said out loud to herself before returning to her thoughts.

* * *

Momo and Izuru arrived at the training grounds to see Ichigo practicing his Zanjutsu. They could see how beat up and exhausted he was. His hands were covered in bandages that were soaked in many layers of blood. His uniform was torn in many places and looked like Swiss cheese. His hair was soaked with sweat and it was matted and dirty. Ichigo was in a right state and seeing him like that broke Momo's heart.

"Ichigo…" Momo whispered, her eyes starting to sting from the tears that were welling up in the corners. She was about to go over to him when Izuru grabbed her by the shoulder and simply shook his head.

Ichigo was fighting against a training dummy when he slashed at it with his Zanpakutō, cutting it in half. Ichigo stabbed the tip of Zangetsu into the ground in anger.

"Dammit! It's still cutting too deep! Why is it doing that?!" Ichigo yelled looking at the massive blade that closely resembled a Khyber Knife.

Ever since his fight with Shūhei, he hadn't had any contact with Zangetsu and this angered him. He had questions that demanded answers, so he figured training hard would be enough to draw him out. Alas, this method proved to be fruitless.

Ichigo collapsed to the floor, panting in exhaustion, when he saw two pairs of feet appear at his side. Looking up, he saw Izuru and Momo; both had concerned, worried looks on their faces. As soon as he saw who it was, he turned to look at the ground again, upsetting Momo even more.

"What are you two doing here?" Ichigo asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"We could as you the same thing." Izuru said, clearly unimpressed by how Ichigo was treating himself.

"What do you think? I'm training." Ichigo replied, still looking at the ground.

"Have you lost your mind? This isn't training; this is punishment and self-torture!" Izuru yelled, losing his cool.

"What would you know?! You weren't the one who nearly killed someone because he couldn't control his own power!" Ichigo yelled back, standing up to look Izuru in the eye.

"I know you, Ichigo… I know that you would never intentionally harm others. I don't know what happened in your battle, but I know it wasn't intentional." Momo said softly.

"Momo's right, Ichigo. What happened to Shūhei wasn't done deliberately. We went to see Captain Unohana earlier… She believes your spiritual pressure can easily rival that of a Third Seat, or even a Lieutenant. Having access to such an incredible level of spirit energy can be frightening… Especially that kind of power is unleashed all at once." Izuru said calmly.

"You went to see Captain Unohana…?" Ichigo stared at the two blankly.

"Yes, and she said Shūhei is going to be fine. See, Ichigo? Everything's going to be ok." Momo said with a smile as she grabbed Ichigo's hand, only to have him pull away.

"No, Momo… Everything is not going to be ok… I still can't control my power. Every cut I make is far too deep and results in me destroying a training dummy. If these were real people, they'd be dead." Ichigo said, turning to look at the pile of wooden training dummies. Some were sliced in two, others had shattered into tiny splinters.

"Ichigo, have you considered that it's just because you're not used to your Zanpakutō's length yet?" Izuru asked, walking over to Zangetsu and pulling out his own Zanpakutō. "Look at the difference; your sword is more than twice the length of mine. Perhaps you're cutting too deep, because you're not used to the sheer size of it?"

"I thought that too, but I've been training non-stop for weeks now. I've got a perfect balance over how it feels and how it cuts, but it doesn't matter what I do, because it always cuts too deeply." Ichigo said.

"Have you tried communicating with your Zanpakutō?" Momo asked. "I know that you can communicate with it; maybe you'll find your answers there."

"I've tried that. No matter how long and how hard I train, I can't force the Old Man to tell me anything." Ichigo said, looking over at his Zanpakutō that was still stuck in the ground.

"Have you tried meditating on your sword as a means of communication?" Izuru said.

"Meditation? That stuff actually works?" Ichigo asked, causing Izuru and Momo to sweat drop.

"Of course it does. That's how you're supposed to interact with your Zanpakutō Spirit." Momo said.

"Really? I've only ever communicated with Zangetsu through combat. I figured that's how he works." Ichigo shrugged.

"Right, well how about you actually try meditation, enter your inner world and contact him like that? Honestly, Ichigo, do you ever pay attention in class?" Momo asked, shaking her head and smiling at the orange haired teen.

Ichigo simply grumbled as he walked over to his Zanpakutō, pulled it out of the ground and proceeded to rest it across his lap after he sat on the ground. Taking a deep breath, Ichigo began to meditate and enter his inner world.

"C'mon, Momo. There's nothing more we can do now. The rest is up to Ichigo." Izuru whispered, grabbing Momo's arm and leading her away from Ichigo.

It took a while, but Ichigo finally managed to enter a relaxed state and entered his inner world…

* * *

Ichigo had slipped into his inner world and opened his eyes. It was exactly the same as last time, except he noticed it was completely devoid of life, aside from him. He looked around and couldn't see anyone.

"Zangetsu?!" Ichigo called out, his voice rang out but was carried away by the wind. There was no answer. "Hey! Old Man Zangetsu! Where are you?!" Ichigo yelled out, starting to get irritated.

He looked around and found a very familiar object sticking out of the ground. It was Zangetsu in Shikai form. The Khyber Knife like Zanpakutō was just sat there, the cloth that was hanging off the handle was lightly blowing in the breeze. Ichigo went up to it and was about to take it when he sensed movement from behind him.

A black streak shot out from what seemed to be nowhere and before Ichigo could register what happened, he found the Zanpakutō was gone and standing before him was a truly shocking sight.

Ichigo was looking at… Himself. Except it wasn't him. It was someone who looked _exactly_ like him, save for the fact he was pure white and had golden eyes.

"Who the hell are you? Where is Zangetsu?!" Ichigo shouted, demanding an answer from his white doppelgänger.

" **What are you talking about…? I AM ZANGETSU!"** The doppelgänger cackled, pointing the Zanpakutō directly at Ichigo.

"You're lying… You're not Zangetsu! Where is he?!" Ichigo yelled again, his anger rising by the second.

" **The Old Man isn't here right now, so it looks like you'll have to deal with me."** The doppelgänger said with a sadistic grin. **"I know what you want, Ichigo. You want to know why you can't control your power, don't you?"**

This took Ichigo by surprise. He had come to talk to Zangetsu and get some insight into why he couldn't control his Zanpakutō properly. How did this… Thing know that? His doppelgänger saw the look of surprise on Ichigo's face and smirked.

" **Oh, don't give me that look. There's a very good reason why you can't control your power… YOU'RE NOT WORTHY OF CONTROLLING ME!"** He roared, stabbing the Zanpakutō in the ground, causing a large fissure to appear.

"What are you talking about? If I wasn't worthy, why would the Old Man tell me his name and how to release my Shikai?" Ichigo asked.

" **How the fuck should I know? All I know is that when you attacked that bitch when you used me for the first time, you used my power perfectly. YOU WERE MEANT TO CUT HIM THAT DEEPLY!"** The doppelgänger yelled, looking at Ichigo with a wicked look in his eyes.

"No… It was an accident… I didn't know how strong I was… I never meant to hurt Shūhei…" Ichigo said, his voice barely a whisper.

" **Just listen to yourself! You're self-pity disgusts me! You fail to embrace your true power and enhance it!"** Ichigo's doppelgänger looked at Ichigo directly, rage burning in his eyes.

"Stop lying to me! You don't know what I'm capable of! I _will_ become stronger and I _will_ protect those I call my friends and those I care about!" Ichigo shouted, determination evident in his voice.

" **Huh… Is that right…? Fine, I'll throw you a bone this time, because the stronger you get, the stronger I become, and I'm all about power and strength. That, and watching you wallow in self-hate and pity yourself is sad and it sickens me. Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once; you're over extending your power. You're trying to execute something you don't know anything about. My advice would be to cap your power when you swing me, until you learn more about what it is you're trying to achieve."** The doppelgänger said cryptically.

"What do you mean? What am I trying to execute?" Ichigo asked, confused by what his white counterpart had said.

" **That's for you to figure out. Once you achieve it, return and I'll grant you the power you seek…"** He said before turning away from Ichigo, indicating he had nothing more to say.

"I don't seek power. I just want to protect my friends… But fine, if that's all you're going to give me, I'll figure the rest out on my own!" Ichigo said indignantly as he vanished from his inner world.

" **So, how did I do? Do you think he'll figure it out?"** The doppelgänger asked, not turning around.

"Ichigo is capable and more than worthy of the powers he possesses, but he needs to learn how to tap into that power and not fear what he finds." A voice spoke.

" **Tch, you always were too soft on him… The only reason I told him what I did was because his self-pity was starting to piss me off and I didn't want to look at him any longer than I had to!"** He shouted, turning around to look at the person who had spoken. It was Old Man Zangetsu.

"Yes, and the world is made of rainbows and full of unicorns." Zangetsu said with an ounce of venom.

" **Alright, fine! I told him what he needed to know so that he'd get stronger. There's no way I'm taking over his body when it's weak and pathetic like it is now."** The doppelgänger said as he began to dematerialise and merge with Zangetsu.

Zangetsu said nothing more as he walked over to the Zanpakutō that was still stuck in the ground. He placed a hand over the handle and absorbed it.

When Ichigo awoke from his meditative state, he immediately stood up and picked up his Zanpakutō and faced a training dummy. He remembered what his white counterpart had said and he pulled back on his spirit energy's output before swinging. He sliced the training dummy and it cut through it far more shallowly than before. With a grin, he now knew what he had to do to properly control his sword. The cut was still far deeper than he had intended, but he didn't care; he now knew he could control his Zanpakutō's power and that's what mattered.

* * *

"Nice… It seems he's progressing faster than I had anticipated." Aizen commented as he watched Ichigo train on a monitor.

"How interesting… How do we proceed, Captain Aizen?" Gin asked from a seat on the other side of the room.

"I think we wait for now… I have an interesting idea on how we can speed up Ichigo's progress even more." Aizen said as he stood up and headed to the door.

"Oh? Do tell, I love hearing about what you have in store for him." Gin said as he followed Aizen out of the room they were in.

"It's very simple, Gin; as you have probably noticed, Ichigo's skill seems to increase from combat. The more he fights, the more he learns. The more he learns, the faster he will progress and mature." Aizen said as they ascended a long spiral staircase.

"Soooo… We're going to have him fight? How are we going to do that? Approach Captain Zaraki and convince him to fight Ichigo?" Gin asked.

"No, that wasn't what I had in mind, but the idea does sound beneficial. I'll make a note of it for later." Aizen chuckled mirthlessly before witnessing Kaname arrive in front of him, bowing to him. "Ah, Kaname. How are the preparations going?" He asked.

"They are underway, Captain Aizen; everything is running smoothly and I shall be returning to oversee the rest of the mission shortly. I assume this means Ichigo Kurosaki's progression is far more rapid than we had expected? I figured it would be another six years before we were to undertake this mission." Kaname said as he followed Gin and Aizen as they entered the outside.

"Yes, he's progressing much faster than anticipated. As a result, I've pushed things forward. It won't be long before he's a Soul Reaper with the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." Aizen stated.

"I'm sorry, I believe I'm missing something here. What is Kaname undertaking and what makes you think Ichigo will become a Soul Reaper with the Thirteen Court Guard Squads so soon?" Gin asked, looking to Kaname, then to Aizen.

"You'll find out all in good time, Gin. For now, just be patient." Aizen simply said, causing Gin to scowl a little. He never liked being left out of the loop.

"Well, do we at least know what Squad Ichigo should be put in?" Gin asked.

"It stands to reason that Ichigo flourishes most when he is with his friends; Momo, Izuru and Renji. I'll make arrangements for them to all be placed into Squad Five under my command after graduation. Ichigo, however… I don't see why he shouldn't be put in Squad Five too. That way, I can keep an eye on his growth and actively assist with it." Aizen said.

"A wise decision, Captain Aizen." Kaname said. "It would look odd if you were overseeing his training if he was with another Squad."

"But what if Ichigo wants to be put in another Squad, or other Captains request him to join their Squad?" Gin asked.

"An excellent question, Gin. It is obvious Captain Zaraki wants him to join his Squad. Perhaps Captain Unohana wants him in Squad Four for his skills with Medical Kidō, but I already have a plan in place for such an eventuality. By the time Ichigo's graduates, which will be very soon; of that I have no doubt, he'll request to join Squad Five over any other Squad – even Squad Thirteen with his cousin Kaien." Aizen said, a thin smile crossed his face.

"Let me guess, you're not going to tell me what this plan is, are you?" Gin asked.

"Not at the moment, as there are still a few knots that need to be worked out, but that won't be a problem." Aizen responded, causing Gin to sigh.

* * *

The day after her meeting with Momo and Izuru, Captain Unohana decided to keep a close eye on Shūhei. He had been in the Squad Four Medical Treatment Facility since his battle with Ichigo several weeks ago and she was confident he was going to make a full recovery, but her thoughts after yesterday's discussion with Momo and Izuru, she decided that it was best to not take chances and keep an eye on his recovery. She was checking on Shūhei when someone spoke, startling her slightly.

"How's he doing, Captain?" The person asked. Unohana turned around and saw it was Ichigo.

"Ichigo? It's been a long time. I've been worried about you quite a bit. Not only myself, but Momo and Izuru are just as worried." Unohana said, concern evident in her voice.

"I know, and I'm sorry for making you worry… But I'm fine now. I think I've figured out how my Zanpakutō works." Ichigo said with a thin smile.

"Really? That's good to hear. I'm pleased for you." She said with a warm smile.

"Yeah… So, how's he doing?" Ichigo asked, pointing over to Shūhei.

"He's doing well. He's a little slow to recover, so we had to place him in a medically induced coma in hopes his wounds will heal faster. I'm confident he'll make a full recovery." Unohana stated as she watched Ichigo walk over to Shūhei.

"I'm sorry… I should never have let this happen…" Ichigo said in a whisper. Unohana wasn't sure of he was talking to Shūhei or to her.

"Ichigo, I hate to ask this, but what _did_ happen? I know what happened wasn't intentional and you didn't mean for it to happen, but… _How_ did this happen?" She asked, moving over to Ichigo's side.

"I… I don't know. I attacked him with my Zanpakutō and slashed like I would normally, but for some reason, the blade cut far deeper than I had intended. I managed to enter my inner world and talk to… Well, I don't know what I talked to, but he told me that I was trying to do something I had no knowledge of, and that's the reason I cut Shūhei so deeply. In the end, I was told to simply cut back on my output of spirit energy while attacking until I knew what I was trying to achieve… Thing is, I don't know _what_ that is." Ichigo stated, taking a seat in the chair next to the bed.

 _Of course! That explains why the cut was so deep and filled with that spirit energy. It still doesn't explain how it was so dense that it had the ability to break down reishi bonds, but this is a start. But I shouldn't tell him… He needs to learn to figure things out for himself…_ Unohana thought to herself, taking a seat next to Ichigo.

"I see… So, this advice from your time in your inner world has indeed helped you?" Unohana asked.

"Yeah, I can now control my attacks, but I have to cut back my spirit energy output considerably." Ichigo stated.

"Do you know how much of a reduction you have to use?" Unohana asked. She was interested in knowing how strong Ichigo is compared to how strong he could be.

"After careful tinkering and adjustment of my power levels… Almost ninety percent." Ichigo stated, causing Unohana to look at him with wide eyes.

"N-Ninety percent?!" She repeated, clearly shocked.

"Yeah…? Is everything alright, Captain?" Ichigo asked.

"Ichigo, it's no secret that you have incredible power, but the fact you can use a mere ten percent of your power and still be a powerhouse is frightening to say the least. Especially when you take into account you're power is still growing. It's very possible that your ten percent now could be comparable to one percent in the future, maybe even less." Unohana said, looking at Ichigo.

"What do you mean…?" Ichigo said, not really sure what she was getting at.

"What I mean, Ichigo, is that while you only use ten percent of your power in battle now, with your incredible growth rate, you could later on end up using a mere fraction of your actual power and still do the same amount of damage. By that estimation, you could end up becoming at least ten times stronger than you are already." Unohana stated. _Take into account he has yet to learn Bankai… When he achieves that, he could end up being somewhere between fifty to one hundred times stronger than what he is already… I must notify the Head Captain of this immediately._

"Is everything alright, Captain Unohana?" Ichigo asked, looking at the Squad Four Captain.

"Yes, I'm fine, Ichigo. I'm sorry to have to do this, but I must leave you; I have a few matters I must attend to. You're welcome to stay here if you wish and if you need anything, Isane will be more than happy to assist you." Unohana said, standing up and bowing to Ichigo.

"Oh, yeah… Ok, I guess I'll see you later." Ichigo said.

"Yes, I hope to see you at our next session. You've missed quite a few and now you're back to your old self, I expect you to make up for the sessions you've missed out on." Unohana said with a smile. The way she smiled and spoke to him made Ichigo think that this wasn't a request.

"Uhh, y-yes, Captain." Ichigo said nervously before Captain Unohana nodded and vanished with Flash Step.

* * *

Captain Unohana left the Squad Four Barracks after telling Isane she had some business to attend to elsewhere and that she was in charge of things until she returned and headed to Squad One to see the Head Captain.

The Head Captain was going over some paperwork when Unohana arrived at his office. Knowing something must be wrong, the Head Captain didn't hesitate to grant Unohana her request to see him. Wasting little time, she told him what Ichigo had said to her and her thoughts on the situation. This resulted in the Head Captain calling a Captain's Meeting to discuss the matter with the rest of the Captains.

The summons were immediate. There was no time to pussyfoot around the situation. All the Captains were gathered and the Head Captain began the meeting, immediately opening the floor to Captain Unohana.

"Thank you, Head Captain Yamamoto. My fellow Captains, I have something to discuss with you all that is of the utmost important. It's regarding Ichigo Kurosaki and his potential as a Soul Reaper." She said, causing all the Captains to look at her with intrigue.

Captain Aizen was especially intrigued by what Unohana had to say. Did she know something he didn't? It was unlikely, but he was determined to hear what the Squad Four Captain had to say.

"As you all know, several weeks ago during his match with Shūhei Hisagi, Ichigo acquired his Shikai and the outcome of that was… Well, you all saw how it ended." She said, causing the Captains to nod solemnly. They didn't believe Ichigo to hold any murderous intent behind his attack and his actions after the fact proved such beliefs. "Ichigo came to me today to tell me that he's learned how to control his power. But the thing that frightens me is the fact he's only using about ten percent of his overall power."

This statement shocked several Captains. Aizen kept a straight face; this wasn't a surprise to him. He knew Ichigo had an immense amount of spirit energy, so him holding back a large portion wasn't _that_ surprising to him.

"However, that's not my main concern." She continued. "It's his growth rate. I believe that, at his current rate, it won't be long before his power rivals that of most of us Captains; I expect it to skyrocket to at least ten times what its current level is at."

"Incredible! How can someone be that powerful?!" Jūshirō said, sounding rather shocked.

"It's not that uncommon, Captain Ukitake. Every so often souls come to the Soul Society that have large reserves of spirit energy. The most interesting part here is whether Ichigo will be able to harness that power or not." Captain Aizen stated, getting nods from other Captains.

"Forgive me, gentlemen, but I haven't finished. There's one critical element some of you might have not considered; Bankai. As Captains, we all know how powerful the Bankai Release is; it can amplify our power by as much as five to ten times what it normally is." Unohana said, watching the Captains do the math and all reach the same, somewhat horrifying conclusion.

"That's not possible! Are you telling us that, with the Bankai Release, Ichigo's power could increase anywhere from fifty up to one hundred times his current power level?!" Captain Komamura said.

"I believe that's a very good possibility, Captain Komamura." Unohana replied.

"I'm sorry, but why is this a problem?" Captain Kurotsuchi asked, looking rather bored.

"You can't be serious…" Shunsui breathed.

"Need I remind you, I am the Captain of Squad Twelve and the Head of the Department of Research and Development." Kurotsuchi said arrogantly.

"Well, you do almost every chance you get…" Soifon scoffed.

"Silence, neophyte! I'm not finished!" Mayuri barked. "As the Head of the Department of Research and Development, I create various tools and equipment to assist and monitor spirit energy levels."

"What are you getting at, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Captain Tōsen said, not liking how Mayuri was beating around the bush.

"Patience, Captain Tōsen. Need I also remind you that brute standing across from me is wearing an eye patch I created that absorbs extra spirit energy?" Captain Kurotsuchi said, pointing to Kenpachi.

"Yeah, and let me tell you, this thing is pretty good. I didn't think you eggheads could come up with something that can devour so much spirit energy." Kenpachi said with a grin as he tapped the eye patch.

"Petty insults aside… To create that, I had to extensively record and examine Captain Zaraki's spiritual pressure at its maximum level. As it currently stands, even if Ichigo Kurosaki was to fully develop and his power did indeed increase tenfold, it would still be weaker than Captain Zaraki's spiritual pressure and he doesn't even have Shikai, let alone Bankai." Kurotsuchi said.

"Really? I had no idea Captain Zaraki's spiritual pressure was so powerful. I knew it was immense, but that's on a whole other level…" Captain Aizen said. _This is most interesting… I wonder what they'll think when Ichigo's Hollow Powers start to surface. It'll make Kenpachi's power seem a trifling thing…_ Aizen thought, inwardly smiling.

"Be that as it may, I'm curious to know how we'll handle this situation. What Squad will he be placed in upon graduation from the Academy, Head Captain." Unohana asked, turning to the Head Captain.

"While I understand that this boy is a special case, you know full well, Captain Unohana, that it is down to the person themselves to make a decision on which Squad they want to be placed in. It is then up to the Captain of that Squad to approve or reject the application. Should the application be approved, the final decision ultimately falls to me whether to grant the request or to place them elsewhere. You should know that it's protocol and we cannot simply make exceptions these procedures." Yamamoto said sternly.

"Fuck protocols and procedures, Old Man! Put the runt in my Squad! It'll be good to have new blood to kick around when I get bored." Kenpachi said with a dark grin.

"Absolutely not! Ichigo Kurosaki is a young man and should be place in a Squad that nurtures individual growth and not one that will turn him into a human punching bag." Jūshirō stated, sounding shocked at Kenpachi's comment.

"Oh, and you think your Squad of pansies would be the right place for him?" Kenpachi growled.

"Well, it certainly wouldn't hurt, especially with Kaien as the Squad Thirteen Lieutenant." Jūshirō said, rubbing his chin, causing Kenpachi to scoff.

"Might I interject, gentlemen? I believe Ichigo would be well suited to Squad Five. Captain Aizen is a very capable leader and what with Gin's recent promotion to Captain of Squad Three, he is without a Lieutenant, and it's no secret Ichigo's spiritual pressure is equal to that of a Lieutenant, if not slightly higher already." Captain Komamura stated, getting a few surprised looks.

"Has that helmet of yours completely starved your brain of oxygen?! You'd have to be insane to even consider Ichigo Kurosaki to become a Lieutenant right out of the Academy!" Soifon yelled.

"Why is that so ludicrous, Captain Soifon? Shūhei Hisagi already has a Seated Officer's Position in my Squad. While it's not a Lieutenant's Position, it's still a similar circumstance. Besides, Ichigo Kurosaki has already proven he's more than capable in battle and has the skills for the position." Kaname stated.

"That's not the point, Tōsen, and you know it! How can any of you even allow that bastard to become a Soul Reaper after what he did to Shūhei?! He nearly killed him!" Soifon yelled, looking around the room.

"Captain Soifon, you were there. You saw that his actions after the fact proved there was no malicious intent behind the attack. If anything, it was likely due to unfamiliarity with the power of a Shikai and he got a little overzealous." Ginrei commented. "While the situation was indeed regrettable it was not, in any capacity, deliberate."

"Be silent!" Head Captain Yamamoto roared, slamming his cane against the floor. "Captain Unohana hasn't finished."

"There is one more thing that I find troubling." She began, as all attention shifted back to her. "Captain Kurotsuchi, can you please explain to everyone what the substance I sent to you for analysis was?" She asked, looking over to the Squad Twelve Captain.

"Ah, yes… That was a most interesting substance that you brought me. At first glance, it looked like sludge; nothing more than bacteria that can be found from any infected wound. Normally, I wouldn't have taken an interest, as I'm much too busy on important matters. But when Captain Unohana told me that it was able to reject her Medical Kidō and cause cells in the body to break down at an accelerated degree, I decided to take a closer look at this strange matter." Captain Kurotsuchi said, revelling in the fact he was the centre of attention and everyone was interested in his scientific insight.

"Well, what did you find?" Captain Kyōraku asked, lifting his hat up slightly.

"Upon closer inspection, I learned that it was not bacterium at all. In fact, it had no characteristics of any organic, living matter. What I discovered was that it was actually spirit energy that was so dense and pure that it was like a poison and had the ability to erode reishi bonds within the body's cells. What this means is that, given enough time, this spirit energy would cause the muscle tissue of the body's internal organs to break down and liquefy, resulting in catastrophic organ failure and a slow, excruciating death." Captain Kurotsuchi finished, looking around the room.

The occupants in the room looked at one another with horror. They had no idea such a thing could happen.

"Are you saying Ichigo's spirit energy is toxic?" Captain Aizen asked. Even he had no idea this could happen.

"Not at all. What I'm saying is that this spirit energy was so heavily condensed that it needs more of it to grow. I think the boy had unknowingly charged an immense amount within his Zanpakutō but never discharged it." Captain Kurotsuchi stated.

"I'm sorry, but I still don't follow. How does this correlate with being able to 'poison' a person?" Captain Ukitake asked.

"Oh, must I do all the explaining? It's like I'm dealing with children. To put it simply, this highly concentrated spirit energy needs constant stream of it to survive. Normally, it's built up from the user and discharged in some way. As this was never discharged, it still needs spirit energy to survive. As it's no longer a part of a circuit, so to speak, it needs to find a source elsewhere. Since the soul is built up of spirit energy encased by reishi bonds, this substance forces the host's body to break down said bonds to absorb the spirit energy. That's why Captain Unohana's Kidō didn't work. Instead of healing the wound, she was giving the spirit energy that was already in the wound a healthy supply of her own spirit energy, ultimately speeding up the decay of reishi bonds within the body. Not that she'd have known that, so I'm willing to ignore that fact." Kurotsuchi explained. Several Captains who didn't understand what Mayuri was talking about now nodded their heads in understanding.

"Forgive me, Captain Kurotsuchi, but perhaps you can explain something to me." Aizen began. "If you're saying Ichigo's spirit energy isn't toxic, but rather heavily concentrated, then why has something like this never happened before? Why, for instance, has this sort of thing never happened with Captain Zaraki? Even you said his spiritual pressure was greater than Ichigo's predicted levels."

"To be frank, I can't quite understand it myself. I've never seen this kind of thing before in a Soul Reaper. In fact, I'm almost certain it's unheard of. The sheer density and the ability to break down reishi like this shouldn't be possible, yet here we have irrefutable proof that it can." Captain Kurotsuchi commented.

"Are you saying Ichigo isn't a Soul Reaper? How ludicrous; he's in the Soul Reaper Academy and we've all seen his Shikai." Captain Komamura stated.

"Please, Captain Komamura; the grown-ups are talking." Kurotsuchi said with an air of arrogant superiority, causing the Squad Seven Captain to growl. "We've all seen his Shikai, so there's no denying he's a Soul Reaper. I'm simply saying that there's a possibility his Shikai has a special ability that we don't know of, and by extension, that he doesn't know of either…"

"So, you're saying Ichigo needs to learn what this so-called 'special ability' he possesses is? Well, that seems easier said than done. This is something he needs to learn on his own and there's nothing we can do to force it out of him." Ginrei said.

"Actually, I wouldn't be so sure of that, Captain Kuchiki. I do believe I know a way to help him." Aizen said, pushing up his glasses.

"What do you mean, Captain Aizen?" Shunsui said.

"Well, as you all know, it's almost the end of the Academic Year, which means the Students will be going to the World of the Living to practice what they've learned by fighting Dummy Hollows. Since Ichigo seems to thrive in combat situations, I believe that will be the key to unlocking this ability of his." Aizen stated.

"Ah, so you intend for him to be pushed to the limit, in hopes he'll learn how to use this ability of his, much like the way he achieved his Shikai?" Shunsui asked.

"That is the general idea, yes." Aizen replied.

"Excuse me, Captain Aizen, but you seem to be forgetting something." Kaname said. "Shūhei was meant to be escorting the students on this examination, yet he's currently indisposed."

"That's not a problem, Captain Tōsen. Pardon me, Captain Unohana, but how long do you expect Shūhei to be out of action for?" Aizen asked, looking over at the Squad Four Captain.

"Well, he's been recovering well since the surgery, albeit slowly. I was going to bring him out of his coma at the end of the week and see how it goes. If all goes well, then maybe two weeks. If there are complications, then that window could expand from anywhere between five to eight weeks." Unohana stated, receiving a nod from Aizen.

"I see… Well, given the circumstances and the fact that in the worst case scenario, we'll still have a few weeks before the end of the Academic Year, I say we send Ichigo and his classmates to the World of the Living to practice with Dummy Hollows as soon as Shūhei is ready." Aizen said.

"What do you think of this, Head Captain?" Komamura asked, turning to look at his Commander.

"Given the circumstances, it would be prudent to have Ichigo Kurosaki learn this supposed 'special ability' as soon as possible. However it is up to you, as Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, to make this decision." The Head Captain said, looking at his subordinate Captains.

"I have to agree with Captain Aizen's proposal." Unohana said, raising her hand. Causing several other Captains to do so too.

Slowly, one by one, all the Captains raised their hands in agreement. Even Captain Kurotsuchi did, which came as a surprise to most, if not all the Captains. The only one who didn't raise their hand was Captain Soifon.

"Oh, well isn't this a shock? Once again, Captain Soifon refuses to be a team player. How disappointing." Gin said condescendingly, looking at the Squad Two Captain.

"Shut your mouth, Ichimaru! I just don't understand why this bastard deserves special treatment." Soifon bit back.

"How is this 'special treatment'? The Thirteen Court Guard Squads would benefit greatly from having someone as powerful as Ichigo within their ranks and he's light years ahead of the rest of his classmates. Oh, that's a thought…" Gin said, a large smile appearing on his face. "Might I request, Head Captain, that if Ichigo Kurosaki is indeed successful in this trip to the World of the Living and unlocks this special ability of his, whatever it may be, that he be allowed to graduate from the Academy immediately?"

"What?! You can't be serious?!" Soifon practically yelled.

"Oh, but I am… I would never joke about something as serious as this. Besides, it would be good to have someone else graduate from the Academy after a single year. I really don't like being the only one; let someone else share in that accolade." Gin said.

"This is not a decision that I can make lightly, Captain Ichimaru. Nor can I make it alone. The decision must be agreed upon by Lead Instructor Ōnabara." The Head Captain said.

"What if he was backed by several Captains?" Gin asked.

 _What are you doing, Gin? Don't try and push your luck…_ Aizen thought, staring at the silver haired Captain.

"Dammit, Ichimaru! This is not acknowledging a Soul Reaper's application to become a Captain; we're talking about some punk kid becoming a Soul Reaper after a single year at the Academy!" Soifon shouted angrily.

"So? I graduated the Academy after a single year and Ichigo is far stronger than I was when I was just, as you say, 'a punk kid'. Not to mention I served as Captain Aizen's Lieutenant for several years before I became a Captain myself. He and I are a lot alike." Gin said with his trademark smile.

"Just what the hell are you getting at, Ichimaru?" Soifon growled.

"What I'm 'getting at', Captain Soifon, is that Ichigo Kurosaki is more than capable of becoming a Soul Reaper and serving in Squad Five as its Lieutenant, at Captain Aizen's discretion of course. So what I'm saying is that everything you've said, all the decisions you've protested, have absolutely no merit and you were better off not even opening your mouth." Gin concluded, sticking his tongue out at Soifon, angering her further.

"Captain Ichimaru; while I agree with your assessment of Ichigo Kurosaki, there is no need to make such childish comments. Captain Soifon, I suggest you think _very carefully_ about your next actions before I have you removed from this meeting and face a most severe reprimand." The Head Captain said, his voice like ice. Both Captain Soifon and Captain Ichimaru said nothing more. "If there is nothing more to discuss, I declare this meeting adjourned!"

* * *

"I must say, Captain Aizen, that was a very smart idea; convincing the other Captains to agree to allowing Ichigo to go to the World of the Living for this Dummy Hollow exercise." Gin said.

The Captain's Meeting had ended a few minutes ago and Gin, Kaname and Aizen were all together once again, discussing the finer points of the meeting.

"It's no secret that Ichigo thrives in a battleground environment. This seems like the perfect way to rapidly increase his abilities. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to appeal to the Head Captain for Ichigo's immediate graduation upon completion of this exercise and achieving this 'special ability'. That was a nice touch. Oh, Kaname; next time you meet with Captain Komamura, be sure to give him my regards for his recommendation that Ichigo join Squad Five." Aizen said.

"Of course, sir." Kaname said bowing to the Squad Five Captain.

"Everything is falling into place rather well. All that we need to do now is somehow convince Ōnabara to allowing Ichigo to graduate after this exercise, and I think I know how to do just that. Kaname, are you up for a little trip?" Aizen said, turning to the blind Captain.

"Tell me what I must do, and it will be done, sir." Kaname said with a bow.

"Very good. You are to go to Hueco Mundo and find several powerful Hollows, when the time is right, shadow the students to the World of the Living and summon the Hollows from there." Aizen said.

"Yes, sir. Are there any specific Hollows you have in mind?" Kaname asked.

"Hmm, no… I'll leave that decision up to you and Baraggan. He knows the Hollows better than I do. But bring no more than three. We don't want to run the risk of Ichigo or his friends dying before we arrive. However, don't let him walk all over you. If he tries to do as such, punish him however you see fit. Just don't kill him." Aizen said simply.

"As you command, Captain Aizen." Kaname said, bowing before removing a small device from his pocket and activating it. A second later, a gaping black maw opened and Kaname entered it before closing it again.

"Hmm… You certainly picked a fine hideout, Captain Aizen. This must be the only place in the Seireitei, if not the Soul Society, where a Garganta can open without it being detected by anyone." Gin commented as he watched Captain Tōsen enter the Garganta.

"Well, it would be rather foolish to have Kaname open Garganta where they could be detected by Squad Twelve. That was one of the reasons I picked this place, aside from the privacy it offers." Aizen said.

"Was this what you and Captain Tōsen were discussing the other day? The thing you wouldn't tell me about?" Gin asked, hoping to pry information out of the bespectacled Captain.

"No, that is something else I'm working on. A way to draw out and maximise Ichigo's full power. We can't move until we're confident he'll join us and I feel this is the best way." Aizen said cryptically, causing Gin to scowl. "Now, now, Gin… I have something that you can do for me…"

"Is that right? Oh, goody, I get to be helpful!" Gin said, clapping his hands together.

"I need you to go to Squad Twelve and… Acquire a certain item from storage there. Thing is, you can't be caught. I trust you can do that?" Aizen said, looking at Gin.

"Oooh, breaking and entering and stealing from Captain Kurotsuchi? Naughty, naughty. Not to worry, you can count on me! They don't call me 'The Silver Fox' for nothing!" Gin said with an over-dramatic salute before leaving via Flash Step.

"Here I was thinking the only person who called you that was Rangiku…" Aizen said with a slight chuckle as he got up out of his seat and made his way back to his barracks.

* * *

"What? You can't be serious?!" Ichigo said, sounding stunned.

"Yes, I am. In a few weeks, you'll be heading to the World of the Living to undertake an exercise in fighting Dummy Hollows. Come on, Ichigo; focus." Unohana said as she was overseeing Ichigo's training.

As promised, Ichigo began visiting Captain Unohana again to resume his Medical Kidō training with her. She decided to tell him this piece of information in hopes it would cheer him up. It turned out she was correct.

"I'm sorry, but that sounds awesome! I'll finally be able to fight at full strength and not worry about hurting anyone! But why is it not happening sooner?" Ichigo said, causing Unohana to smile.

"That's because Shūhei will be leading the exercise. He's the only one who's had experience fighting Hollows, so he knows how to teach this class effectively." Unohana said, noticing Ichigo's frown.

"Oh… I see. So, how is he doing anyway? Any better?" Ichigo asked.

"There's been no change since you were here the other day, but I plan on bringing him out of his coma soon and see how things go from there." She replied.

"Right… Well, even though we have our differences, I still can't wait to test my strength against Hollows! Even if they're not real ones!" Ichigo said with excitement.

"Yes, well as I said, that won't be happening for a while now. So, until then, please focus on what you're doing, you're making a mess of things." She said with a chuckle.

"Oh, shit, shit, shit!" Ichigo said trying to control his spirit energy.

Captain Unohana decided to teach him some cosmetic healing techniques she had developed; removing scars and various other blemishes that come from combat and medical treatment. This one, however, was a different case. Ichigo was treating a member of Squad Twelve for chemical burns. Captain Kurotsuchi got frustrated and threw a flask of acid and this unfortunate Squad Member got hit with some of it. Their entire right forearm had been badly burned.

The technique Ichigo was using was experimental. Unohana had used her knowledge of Medical Kidō and combined it with what Tenjirō Kirinji had taught her to develop it. As such, anyone who met the criteria for such treatment had to sign a waiver, stating that they knew it was experimental and Captain Unohana, nor Squad Four were liable for any further damages or unsuccessful treatment. As a member of Squad Twelve, this individual had been experimented on by Captain Kurotsuchi many times, so they had no issue with it.

"Hey, I think it's starting to work…!" Ichigo said as the burns seemed to be healing.

"Alright, stop it there, Ichigo. That'll do for today." Unohana said, putting one of her hands on his hands.

"Huh, why?" Ichigo asked.

"Two reasons, dear. The first is that this is an experimental Kidō, so we need to do it slowly. The second is that if we try and force the body's cells to regenerate while they're still being broken down by the acid, all you'll do is accelerate the decay of the damaged cells to the point where they amalgamate with the new cells, making it impossible to heal."

"Oh, right… Sorry." Ichigo said.

"Don't apologise. You're the first person to learn these techniques; not even Isane has been taught them yet, but that's because you have greater reserves of spirit energy, meaning I'll be able to see if it's possible for others with less spirit energy to learn them. Your spirit energy is equal to that of a Lieutenant, so if you can learn it, then Isane can too. It's possible Third Seat Iemura can as well, but we'll have to wait and see." Unohana said with a smile.

"Alright, so what do we do now?" Ichigo asked.

"I think we'll call it a day for now. You've done well; I think you deserve to have an early finish today. Just don't expect this to happen all the time." Unohana said with a slight laugh.

"I won't Captain, don't worry. I think I'll go find Momo and Izuru and tell them about this exercise we'll be doing in the World of the Living." Ichigo said, bowing before he left. Unohana simply smiled before returning to her patient and telling them to come back tomorrow and bandaged their arm before sending them on their way.

* * *

 **A/N; Another Chapter down! How do y'all feel about this one? I hope it wasn't too cheap and badly put together. I wanted to get the ball rolling for the future and didn't want to get bogged down with the whole 'Academy' thing, so I decided to speed things up, maybe expedite Ichigo's transition into a Squad. I'm still undecided as to how I wish to proceed with that bit. Also, I hope his meeting with Zangetsu in his inner world wasn't boring. I didn't want to have him enter ANOTHER battle so soon again. Seeing how Chapter Five was all combat and little else. I hope you all found this way acceptable and not poorly executed.** **I hope I haven't made Ichigo seem too OP.** **Yes, he's incredibly powerful but since I've only said he'll get up to 10x stronger (and 50x to 100x times stronger after Bankai) and given no specifics, it's not THAT ridiculous. Especially when you consider Zaraki is still stronger than him. Anyway, please leave a review. I like hearing your thoughts on the story, just don't be a dick.**

 **I shall now proceed to reply to reviews from Chapter Five;**

 **SwarmingShadow; Thank you for the kind words. I didn't expect my story to be this well liked, to be honest. I always have a high standard of grammar, as there are so many fics out there with poor grammar that it hurts me physically to read.**

 **GrimReap3r; Thank you for the positive feedback. You're right that Shūhei will learn more humility from Captain Tōsen in future and as for 'Hollow Ichigo', if you're referring to the White Ichigo (Which is actually his Zanpakutō Spirit mixed with his Hollow Power), then you're correct. He appeared in this Chapter, as you saw. Though, was it really him that caused Ichigo to harm Shūhei? It's a shame you're not a fan of Momo, I think she's a sweetheart. But I can't please all tastes, so to answer your question; their relationship will last until Ichigo defects with Aizen, Gin and Tōsen, and that's all I'll say about that. The 'arcs' I'm using are in my Profile Description, but I might let you guys choose a couple as a way of giving you what you want to keep you interested in the story. I have no idea how long it'll be. I wanna aim for 1m+ Words (and make it the first Bleach Fanfic to reach that total, but we'll see). Yes, I've read some of the Manga and Ywhach is too OP. I'm going to adjust it slightly so that he's not so strong and at least make him care about his Sternritter. As he is the 'Father of the Quincy', he should act like a father who cares about his children.**

 **TheStormWriter123; Thank you! I appreciate the positive review; especially since I was worried it was just being dragged out and repetitive. The last thing I want is from my story to become boring.**

 **BigNickDiggers; Yes, with the help of Aizen, obviously. If he wants to become a God, he's going to need all the powerful soldiers he can create.**

 **DRADX; I can't please all tastes, but I thought skewing the timeline and taking bits from Canon Material would be a good way to go, as it fills in gaps from the Canon Story (albeit not actually real, I like to think of ideas on what COULD have been, y'know?). I know the whole IsshinxUnohana Pairing is unlikely, but that's why I did it. How often do you see that pairing? I like to be unique and make up things/ideas no-one else has done.**

 **Guest (Be nice to have an ACTUAL name to respond to, buddy); I appreciate your candour. But, please, allow me to set the record straight. Ichigo did actually have an Asauchi. Remember the big Zanpakutō he had that Byakuya destroyed? Well, that was it. It was a nameless Zanpakutō that he used, so it's still an Asauchi. The 'Hollow' is the REAL Zangetsu, merged with his Hollow Powers, but Old Man Zangetsu is actually his Quincy Powers and 'Old Man Zangetsu' is actually Ywhach from 1,000 Years ago. Why would his Quincy Powers die with him? If that was the case, his Hollow powers should die too, right? His Hollow always took over when he was at risk of dying because if Ichigo died, then he would die too. Unless it states in the Bleach Lore that a human loses their Quincy Powers if they die, then I'm going with the notion that they're tightly bound to his soul like his Hollow Powers that end up becoming prominent after he gains his Soul Reaper Powers. I don't believe I ever stated I'd follow Canon Powers. I said I'd follow Canon Material (such as events and things of the like), but if I did everything from Canon, then this wouldn't be a 'retelling' and it wouldn't allow me to spread my wings and be imaginative, would it? That's where you're wrong; having an Asauchi wouldn't give him his true Zanpakutō. Learning about his heritage and who is really is allowed him to achieve his true Zanpakutō. I read the Manga. He got his ass kicked by Asauchi and Ōetsu Nimaiya sent him back to the World of the Living where Isshin told him about Masaki being a Quincy. After learning 'Zangetsu' was actually Ywhach from 1,000 Years ago and finding out he was his manifestation of his Quincy Powers, he returned to the Soul King's Palace, defeated the Asauchi and had Nimaiya forge his true Zanpakutō. Hope that clears up the confusion, my friend.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading; please leave a review and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the ones to come!**


	7. Through The Eyes Of The Huntsman

Chapter Seven – Through The Eyes Of The Huntsman

The mouth of the Garganta opened and Kaname stepped out on to the sands of Hueco Mundo. He always detested these sands. He secretly longed for the comforts the palace of Las Noches would provide when it was finally built. Aizen had spent the better part of a Century coming to Hueco Mundo in secret to build his Hollow Army and oversee the construction of his palace. Now though, he had tasked Kaname with this job, as his plans surrounding Ichigo and the Soul Society commanded his attention.

Knowing his duty was to acquire a few powerful Hollows to attack the World of the Living at Aizen's command, Kaname went to the one Hollow who knew exactly where to get such creatures; Aizen's First Espada; Baraggan Louisenbairn. The so-called 'King of Hueco Mundo'. He ruled under the skies of Hueco Mundo of Centuries, so if anyone knew what Hollows would be the best for this task, it would be him.

Kaname knew this wasn't going to be an easy task. At the best of times, Baraggan was an arrogant prick with a 'holier-than-thou' attitude and that was when he was in a good mood. When he was in a bad mood, it was nigh impossible to converse with him. Even Aizen had difficulty at times. Most times, Kaname really wanted to just kill the bastard, but since he was Aizen's most powerful warrior, he knew that would be a most grievous error on his part.

As Kaname approached Baraggan's throne, he was intercepted by half a dozen Hollows.

"Who dares to approach the throne of His Majesty, King Baraggan?" One Hollow demanded.

"Get out of my way, filth. I am here under orders from Lord Aizen." Kaname stated coldly.

"Stand down, you worms! I knew who it was long before he arrived. Nothing goes unnoticed by me in my kingdom!" A voice declared and almost immediately, the Hollows who tried stopping Kaname stood back and bowed down.

In front of Kaname, the Hollow King sat on his throne. He was a skeletal being who wore a large purple robe with a black fur-like collar comprised of his spirit energy and reishi from the atmosphere of Hueco Mundo. He wore a large golden bracelet on both wrists and atop his head was a large, four-pointed crown.

"Kaname…" Baraggan hissed. "What are you doing in my domain? Speak!" He commanded.

"I have a request from Lord Aizen. He requires three exceptionally powerful Hollows to attack the World of the Living at his command, and he believed you would be able to select the best Hollows for this mission." Kaname stated coolly, not the least bit intimidated by Baraggan or his army of Hollows.

"So, the Boss wants my Hollows to attack the humans? What reason does he have for this?" Baraggan asked, looking at Kaname intently. One wrong word and he wouldn't hesitate to teach Kaname what he perceived to be respect.

"Whatever reasons Lord Aizen has are his reasons alone and I am not about to discuss them with the likes of you. You will find out just what he intends when the time is right, as will the rest of the Espada." Kaname said emotionlessly.

"Oh, and you expect me to simply do as you say and hand over three of my most powerful Hollows? It would appear you are both blind and stupid." Baraggan laughed.

"No, I expect you to do what Lord Aizen commands otherwise it will be seen as treason and you will be punished most severely." Kaname said, cutting Baraggan's laughter short.

"Hmm…? You think the threat of 'severe punishment' is going to make me roll over and obey? Don't make me laugh." Baraggan retorted.

"'Roll over and obey'? You already did that after Lord Aizen slaughtered half your army." Kaname replied, causing Baraggan to growl.

"How dare you insult His Majesty King Baraggan like that? You're walking an already thin line, Soul Reaper!" One of Baraggan's Hollows shouted in anger.

"Silence, worm! I do not recall giving you permission to speak!" Baraggan roared, standing up before pulling out his battle-axe from behind his throne and throwing it at the insolent Hollow, bifurcating it before it could apologise.

"Is this how you treat all your subordinates? I can't say I'm surprised." Kaname said, shaking his head.

"Don't patronise me, Kaname! I am the God of Hueco Mundo; it's King! I rule this domain!" Baraggan shouted, as one of his servants returned his battle-axe, which he placed back behind his throne before taking his seat once more.

"Very well, but I still need three Hollows for Lord Aizen's plans. Are you going to comply, or do I have to find other ways to coerce you?" Kaname said, putting his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutō. Baraggan's response was to begin laughing.

"It would appear even you cannot detect them." Baraggan clapped his hands and out of nowhere, three immense Hollows appeared; each one was as tall as a skyscraper. "I believe the Boss would like these three very much. Undetectable even to Soul Reapers with the most attuned senses. Why, I even believe your Head Captain would struggle to detect them." Baraggan stated arrogantly.

"Now who is the one patronising who?" Kaname asked. "I know you're not just going to hand over these behemoths willingly. What's the catch?"

"Ah, it appears you've seen right through me. It looks like I don't give you enough credit. Even though you're blind, you're still incredibly observant and can read me like a book." Baraggan said.

"Wouldn't be much of an interesting read…" Kaname mumbled, which Baraggan didn't seem to hear.

"Yes, well, 'the catch' here is very simple; I'll hand over these three to the Boss at his discretion under the agreement that when he attacks the World of the Living, I am to be at his side." Baraggan said, receiving a raised eyebrow from Kaname.

"Impossible. What Lord Aizen has planned does not need to concern you, or the other Espada. As I said, what Lord Aizen has planned will be revealed to you all when he is ready to divulge such information to you." Kaname stated earning a look of disdain from Baraggan.

"Then it appears we are at an impasse. You want my Hollows? Then you _will_ play by my rules. These three Hollows in exchange for my presence alongside the Boss when he invades the World of the Living." Baraggan stated with finality.

 _Forgive me, Lord Aizen… I'm afraid I must disobey your orders._ Kaname thought to himself. "It appears you misunderstand, Baraggan. Lord Aizen does not intend to invade the World of the Living. Not with three Hollows when he has his ten Espada at his disposal. He merely wishes to observe how a potential target deals with Hollows in combat." Kaname said, trying to reveal as little information as he could.

"Nine." Baraggan stated causing Kaname to look at him with confusion.

"I beg your pardon?" Kaname asked.

"You said there are ten Espada. I am telling you there are now only nine." Baraggan said, as if it were obvious what he meant.

"What happened?" Kaname asked, his anger rising slightly. He knew Aizen would be incredibly displeased to hear he had lost an Espada.

"Nnoitra teamed up with that eccentric freak Szayelaporro and together they eradicated our Third Espada, Nelliel." Baraggan shrugged, as if it were not his concern.

"Nnoitra… Lord Aizen will not be happy about this, Baraggan. As the First Espada, it is up to you to keep the peace within the ranks. This is as much your fault as it is Nnoitra's and Szayelaporro's fault." Kaname said.

"Don't you lump me in with those parasites! I have far more pressing concerns than keeping an eye on arguing children such as the Third and Eighth Espadas!" Baraggan shouted.

"I don't care what 'pressing concerns' you have, your duty as Lord Aizen's First Espada is to keep everyone in line when he is not present. You have failed this task and I must report back to him about this." Kaname said, turning away from Baraggan.

"Do what you must, but I will see to this matter personally. Nnoitra has grown arrogant as of late. He seems to think he's unstoppable now he's 'defeated' Nelliel. Take the three Hollows, but tell the Boss that I will see him in the World of the Living when he uses _my_ Hollows for whatever purpose he needs." Baraggan barked standing up from his throne and collecting his battle-axe before heading off to locate Nnoitra.

Kaname pulled out the device in his pocket, opened a Garganta and went back to the Soul Society.

"Ah, welcome back, Kaname. How is our dear King of Hueco Mundo?" Aizen asked as Kaname stepped out of the Garganta.

"Stubborn as ever. He agreed to the use of three very interesting Hollows… Under the condition that he comes to the World of the Living to observe." Kaname stated, bowing to Captain Aizen.

"Did he now? Seems Baraggan likes to think he's still in charge. Very well, I will allow it. If all goes according to plan, Baraggan can see his replacement first hand. Now, you say these Hollows are very interesting… In what way?" Aizen asked.

"They are somehow able to move completely undetected. Even I was unable to sense them until they took on a material form. Baraggan claims that even the Head Captain would be unable to sense them." Kaname replied, causing Aizen to smirk.

"Yes, he would say that, wouldn't he? But, it is of little importance. The fact of the matter is you were able to acquire Hollows for my plans, and I thank you for that." Aizen said, standing up. He noticed Kaname shift uncomfortably on the spot. "Is something wrong, Kaname?"

"Yes, sir… Baraggan gave me some rather troubling news. It would seem that Nnoitra has killed Nelliel. Baraggan insisted he would deal with the situation personally, being your First Espada, but if you so wish, I will deal with Nnoitra myself." Kaname said.

"No, that won't be necessary." Aizen said, turning away from the Squad Nine Captain. "I appreciate your willingness to seek justice for dear Nel, but it is of little consequence. Baraggan can do what he likes to Nnoitra; he's not stupid enough to kill him. As for Nel… Looks like we'll just have to find a new Third Espada. But that can wait. Come along, Kaname." Aizen said, beckoning Kaname to follow him.

"Forgive me, sir, but where is Gin? He's normally with you, isn't he?" Kaname asked as the ascended the large spiral staircase of their hideout.

"I sent him over to Squad Twelve to… Acquire some equipment that will be necessary for the future." Aizen simply said, causing Kaname to nod. He knew better than to question Aizen's motives.

* * *

"The World of the Living? Seriously?!" Renji asked, looking at Ichigo.

"Yeah, that's right. Captain Unohana told me about it a few days ago. If you weren't hiding out somewhere, you'd've found out about it with Izuru and Momo. Where have you been anyway?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, y'know… Here and there." Renji said, shrugging.

"Don't give me that crap! What have you been doing?" Ichigo asked.

"Alright, fine! If you must know, I've been spending time with Rukia. Seems she's been struggling being on her own and whatnot. So, I've been with her just trying to cheer her up." Renji said, sighing.

"What are you talking about? She seemed fine the other day when I saw her." Ichigo said, giving Renji a questioning look.

"That's because she doesn't want you to worry, you idiot. She knows you've been struggling yourself after what happened with Shūhei, so she's trying to remain positive so she's not a burden to you." Renji said flatly.

"What the hell kind of excuse is that?" Ichigo said. "Sure, I might've been having a few doubts about some things recently, but that doesn't mean she should have to pretend everything is okay for my sake."

"Easy for you to say… Hey, since when were you Mr. Positive?" Renji asked.

"Well, why shouldn't I be? I finally have a hold over my Zanpakutō's power and I can now battle without worrying about hurting people. I still don't know what I'm trying to achieve with my Zanpakutō, but I feel like I'm getting closer." Ichigo said.

"Huh? Really? Do tell." Renji replied, looking at his orange haired friend with intrigue.

"Well, it's kinda hard to explain, but every time I swing my Zanpakutō, I can feel the blade getting heavier and the strikes get stronger. Somehow, my Zanpakutō is absorbing and storing spirit energy and making my strikes stronger." Ichigo explained.

"Is that even safe? You know that if you don't discharge that energy, you run the risk of blowing yourself up?" Renji told Ichigo, his voice filled with concern.

"What, like you with Kidō?" Ichigo laughed, causing Renji to growl.

"Bite me, you bastard! I'm getting better at Kidō now. I can fire Shakkahō without a problem now!" Renji snapped.

"Oh is that right? Well, I bet I can do better than that." Ichigo mocked, grinning at his red headed friend.

"Tch, just because you can fire off Shakkahō with more power doesn't mean you're better than me!" Renji bit back, causing Ichigo's grin to widen.

"Well, actually, it does. However, that's not what I meant. Watch this…" Ichigo stood up and opened his hand.

"What are you doing?" Renji asked, looking at Ichigo with perplexity.

"Bones of beasts scattered far and wide! Steeple crimson crystal! Steel Wheels! Wind in action and the sky at rest! The sound of flying arrows!" Ichigo chanted and as he did so, a ball of yellow lighting began to form in his hand. "Hadō Number Sixty-Three; Raikōhō!" Ichigo yelled, discharging the spell into the air.

As the spell was discharged, a massive beam of yellow lightning shot out of Ichigo's hand, lighting up the sky. Renji looked at his friend with awe. He had no idea Ichigo had become so adept at Kidō.

"Of course, I can simply discard the incantation and use it that way. Watch." Ichigo said before opening his hand again and gathering spirit energy which turned into yellow lightning. "Hadō Number Sixty-Three; Raikōhō!" He shouted once more, firing off the spell into the air. While it wasn't as powerful as his last one, it still astounded Renji.

"How… How the hell did you do that? That's a Sixties Level Kidō! Even Soul Reapers outside the Captain Class struggle to use that!" Renji gawked.

"Well, when you've got a great teacher like I do, you learn a lot… Plus, Raikōhō is the main Kidō spell used by the Shiba Clan. Both Kaien and I are well versed in it; so is Kaien's sister, Kūkaku." Ichigo shrugged.

"Tch… Cheater." Renji scowled.

"Oh, come on! Just because Momo is teaching me Kidō and I demonstrated a spell to you that my family is well versed in doesn't mean I cheated! You're just jealous." Ichigo said with a grin.

"The hell I am! Kidō is for sissies who can't fight!" Renji snapped.

"Is that right? Well, perhaps I'll tell Momo that, instead of asking her to give you some tips on how to improve." Ichigo said, causing Renji's scowl to melt away and be replaced with worry.

"No, please! Don't… Don't do that. I'm already in her bad books for not trying to make you feel better when you nearly killed Shūhei." Renji said.

"Hey! That was an accident! One that is never going to happen again!" Ichigo snapped, glaring at his friend, who started grinning.

"Not so nice when the shoe is on the other foot, huh?" Renji laughed.

"That's not cool, man! Besides, you sucking at Kidō is nothing compared to almost killing someone…" Ichigo said sadly. Renji had realised he went a step too far.

"Hey, look, I'm sorry. I-I didn't know you were still beating yourself up about it. Everyone knows it was an accident." Renji said, placing a hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"I think it came from over here! C'mon, Izuru!" A familiar voice called out, causing Ichigo and Renji to turn around and see Momo running over to them, followed by Izuru.

"Momo? Izuru? What are you guys doing here?" Renji asked, looking at the pair of them.

"We saw this bright flash of yellow light in the sky and wanted to know what caused it. Did you guys see anything?" Momo asked, looking at Ichigo then over to Renji.

"Heh… Told you I was better than you at Kidō." Ichigo said with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… Smug bastard…" Renji grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Kidō? Wait… _That_ was Kidō? What the hell did you use?!" Izuru asked, gawking at Ichigo.

"Raikōhō." Ichigo stated with a shrug.

"Wow! It was so powerful! How did you get so good at Kidō?" Momo asked.

"Well, the only reason I'm good at Raikōhō is because all Shiba's are good at it… Except Ganju. That dumbass is worse than Renji and _that_ is saying something!" Ichigo said with a laugh, causing Renji to growl and storm off, muttering obscenities as he went.

"Looks like someone's feeling a little sensitive today…" Momo said, rolling her eyes before she went over to Ichigo to give him a hug.

"Ah, don't worry about him. He just forgot to put his 'big boy pants' on today." Ichigo said, causing Momo to giggle and Izuru to smile.

"So, Ichigo, are you looking forward to going to the World of the Living for this Dummy Hollow Exercise?" Izuru asked.

"You know it. I've been wanting to know what it's like to fight Hollows for a while now. What about you guys?" Ichigo asked as the trio walked over to the sakura tree and sat underneath it, while Momo took this opportunity to lie down and rest her head on Ichigo's lap, who began to subconsciously stroke her hair.

"Yeah, definitely. I want to see how much my skills have improved since I arrived. This exercise will be a good chance to do just that." Izuru said.

"Mhmm…" Momo mumbled. She was too busy enjoying Ichigo stroking her hair.

"Honestly, I want to see if this battle experience will finally help me understand my Zanpakutō." Ichigo said.

"What do you mean?" Izuru asked, looking at Ichigo quizzically.

"I've noticed that the blade of my Zanpakutō absorbs and stores spirit energy, resulting in more powerful strikes." Ichigo explained.

"Is that even safe? Too much built up spirit energy can explode, you know." Izuru said.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that." Ichigo responded with a deadpan expression. "No matter what I try, I can't seem to discharge it, so I just end up absorbing it and replenishing my spirit energy."

"You can absorb it?!" Izuru asked with surprise. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's my Zanpakutō's ability; it absorbs spirit energy, making my attacks stronger and when I need it, I can simply absorb what spirit energy it has giving me an almost endless supply of spirit energy." Ichigo theorised.

"Hmm… An interesting ability, if ever I heard one. What do you think, Momo?" Izuru asked, looking over at Momo. He received no response because she had fallen asleep. "Well, looks like someone's comfortable." Izuru said with a smile.

"Yeah, looks like it huh? Must've had a busy day too, to be able to fall asleep so quickly." Ichigo said with a chuckle as he continued to gently stroke his girlfriend's hair while he and Izuru quietly discussed their hopes and expectations for the upcoming exercise in the World of the Living.

* * *

As Kaname was leaving Hueco Mundo, Baraggan had decided to seek out Aizen's Eight Espada and demand an explanation for his actions. Being the First Espada, there was no-one who could contend with Baraggan's strength, save Aizen himself.

Using his Pesquisa, Baraggan was able to lock on to Nnoitra easily enough. He found him in the unfinished palace of Las Noches. Baraggan couldn't understand why the rest of the Espada wanted to live in an unfinished palace, but he didn't care about the motives of pathetic ants.

Baraggan arrived at Las Noches and stormed into the Main Palace. He flared his spiritual pressure to make sure the inhabitants were aware of his presence. He immediately made a beeline for Nnoitra's palace, ignoring all the other Espada and their Fracción. While all Espadas and Fracción were Arrancar, Barragan despised his 'human' form and as such, opted to remain in his Hollow form and live out in the deserts of Hueco Mundo. However, in keeping with Aizen's laws, Baraggan had reverted back into his Arrancar form before he entered the palace.

"You! Worm!" Baraggan roared. "Where is your master?!" Baraggan stormed over to a male Arrancar who was slim with sandy blonde hair. When he turned to see who had called out to him, Baraggan noticed he was now wearing an eye-patch.

"Master Nnoitra is in his chambers and does not wish to be disturbed." The Arrancar stated bluntly. The next thing he knew, he was pinned against the wall, looking right at Baraggan's old, weathered face that was full of range. Despite Tesla being almost five inches taller than Baraggan, his power was unmatched.

"Don't fuck with me Tesla! I am in no mood for you or your games!" Baraggan growled, causing Tesla to gulp, but remain silent. "Wise decision, worm." Baraggan glowered before dropping Tesla to the floor.

Baraggan made his way to Nnoitra's Palace and dispensed with any pleasantries by smashing down his door with his battle-axe.

"What the fuck?! Alright, which of you assholes wants to die today?!" Nnoitra yelled as the door to his palace was smashed to pieces.

"You, kill me? Don't make me laugh, worm!" Baraggan growled as he stepped over the door and into Nnoitra's room.

"What do you want, Baraggan?" Nnoitra asked, lying back down on his bed.

"I want to know why you and that Nancy-Boy, Szayelaporro, killed our Third Espada." Baraggan demanded.

"Who? Nelliel? Hmph, the bitch deserved it. I'm so sick of her thinking she was better than me." Nnoitra shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"She was better than you, you snivelling parasite! That's why she was the Third Espada and you are the Eighth!" Baraggan roared, punching Nnoitra in the face.

"Ow! Dammit!" Nnoitra yelled, holding his nose as blood began to pour from it. "The fuck did you do that for, you old bastard?!"

"That is for your insolent attitude. Because of you, we have lost one of our most powerful warriors and we are sure to suffer for it!" Baraggan spat, holding his fist out at Nnoitra. Even though Nnoitra was the tallest Espada and was a good nineteen inches taller than Baraggan, he knew better than to test the 'King of Hueco Mundo's' patience.

"Well, what the fuck do you want me to do about it now? She's dead and there's no way to bring her back." Nnoitra said, taking his bloody hand away from his nose, which had already stopped bleeding.

"One day, Aizen is going to grow tired of your insolence and have you executed, and I hope I'm the one who gets to part you head from your damn shoulders!" Baraggan yelled before pulling his battle-axe out and swinging it at Nnoitra which smashed into his bed, right between his legs; mere inches from his manhood.

"You're a fucking madman, Baraggan!" Nnoitra growled, considerably shaken up by Baraggan's actions.

"No… I am your King." Baraggan hissed as he removed the battle-axe from Nnoitra's bed, slung it over his shoulder and walked out. He believed he had put Nnoitra in his place. Satisfied, he left Las Noches and returned to his throne in the middle of Hueco Mundo's desert.

* * *

"Hmm… This is going to be more difficult than I had first anticipated…" Gin said to himself as he lay down on a rooftop opposite the Department of Research and Development. He was dressed from head to toe in the standard Stealth Force Uniform, which Aizen had managed to procure for him to use just for this mission.

Aizen had tasked him with infiltrating the grounds and retrieving a few items from their Storage Room. Too bad for Gin that tonight was the night Captain Kurotsuchi had a breakthrough with his current experiment and decided to remain in the labs all night with his Lieutenant, Nemu. He knew Nemu was an artificially created soul that Mayuri had conceived, and as such, she was easily able to detect spiritual pressures, no matter how well hidden they were.

Gin also knew that Storage was in the centre of the Department grounds, meaning he couldn't simply jump over a wall and sneak in. Gin sighed and scratched his head. This was going to be difficult.

With an impressive Flash Step, Gin vanished from the rooftop he was on and landed inside the walls of the Department of Research and Development. Taking his bearings, he began to make his way over towards Storage.

He walked around a corner and was almost spotted by two guards who were out on Night Patrol. Holding his breath, he waited silently within the shadows as the guards walked by. One of the guards carried on along his route, while the other stopped.

"Did you hear that?" The guard asked, causing his companion to stop and turn around.

"No, I didn't, and you didn't either; you've spent so long being one of Captain Kurotsuchi's test subjects that your mind is becoming warped." The second guard commented.

"Are you kidding? I'm perfectly fine… Purple Monkey Dishwasher." The first guard said.

"What did you say?" His companion asked.

"I said I'm fine. Let's keep going. Meow!" The guard said, earning him a concerned look from his partner.

As the two guards carried on their patrol, Gin came out of hiding, releasing the breath he was holding.

"My, my… Captain Kurotsuchi, you naughty man… Just what _are_ you doing to your Squad Members?" Gin said to himself before continuing his mission.

Wasting little time, Gin carried on towards the centre of the grounds, slowly making his way towards storage. It took him almost half an hour of sneaking and ducking into shadows, but he finally made it to Storage.

"Ah, excellent. I was beginning to wonder how long that was going to take. Whatever Captain Kurotsuchi is hiding away in here must be valuable; I don't see why he'd need all this security or why Captain Aizen wanted me to break in here for useless items." Gin said as he pulled the door to Storage open.

The door wouldn't budge. He yanked on the handle a few more times and realised it was, in fact, locked. Gin sighed and hung his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper that Captain Aizen had given him so he knew what to look for inside.

Being the man that he is, Aizen had also written down the passcode for the door lock, as he knew all too well how secretive Captain Kurotsuchi was. Gin punched in the code for the lock, only to be greeted with a buzzing sound and an 'Access Denied' banner.

Shaking his head, he tried entering the code again; just to make sure he hadn't input it incorrectly. Once again, he heard the sound of a buzzer and 'Access Denied' flashed on the screen. Sighing, he checked the slip of paper to make sure he was right. He flipped the paper over and saw another series of numbers and letters. Could this be the passcode?

Taking no chances, he entered the code and this time there was no buzzer or 'Access Denied', the screen simply remained blank. Humming to himself with surprise, he pulled on the door again, only to realise the door was _still_ locked.

"Damn! Why is this not working?!" He hissed.

He got his answer when alarms all over Squad Twelve began blaring and a robotic voice started repeating 'Red alert, red alert! Intruder detected within the grounds!'. Clenching his teeth, he simply cut his losses and tried a new approach.

He took a step back and opened his palm and pointed it at the door.

"Hadō Number Thirty-One; Shakkahō!" He whispered, firing the ball of spirit energy at the door, blowing a sizeable hole in it. Wasting no time, he climbed through the hole and descended the stairs towards the underground storeroom.

Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, he pulled out the slip of paper and charged up another Shakkahō to use as a light source so he could find what he was looking for. He quickly read the sheet of paper and began his search. He power walked down the long hallway, reading the reference numbers that were engraved upon each door. Gin was really curious to have a little look-see in every room, but he knew he didn't have that luxury.

"Hmm, no… That's not it. Not that one either… Come on… Aha! 'KU12-YS02-TTKC'! There we go!" Gin said, scrunching up the paper and stuffing it into his pocket.

He pushed the door open and looked around. The room was bare, aside from three items in the centre. On a pedestal in the middle was a small cylindrical device that had a small button on the top. Gin thought it looked like a detonator switch of some kind.

To the left was a mannequin that was wearing a black hooded robe and to the right was a weird cardboard cut-out looking thing. Gin didn't hesitate and swiped all three items before turning and closing the door behind him. He wasn't sure how long he had before the guards arrived and he didn't want to find out.

With a single Flash Step, he arrived at the entranceway, carrying the three items he had pilfered. He climbed through the hole and was about to make his way out of the Squad Twelve Barracks before a loud voice stopped him.

"Just where do you think you're going?!" The voice shouted. Gin turned to look at where the voice came from and saw Captain Kurotsuchi and Nemu walking towards him.

Gin knew it would be stupid to say anything, as Captain Kurotsuchi would know it was him, so he simply stood there, angering Mayuri even more.

"I asked you a question! What do you think you're doing?!" He roared. Gin knew that it wasn't the same question and he had to resist the urge to point that out to the Captain. "So, you refuse to answer me? Fine, I'll just capture you and use you as another test subject! Nemu! Capture that intruder!" Mayuri commanded.

"Yes, Master Mayuri." Nemu responded in monotone before raising her arms and shooting them at Gin in an attempt to ensnare him in the cables that were inside her arms.

Gin simply charged another Shakkahō and fired it into the ground, causing stone and dust to explode, creating a make-shift smokescreen so that he could escape. After the dust had subsided, Mayuri saw the intruder was no longer there.

"What are you doing, Nemu?! GO FIND HIM NOW!" He screeched, causing Nemu to nod and disappear with Flash Step. Captain Kurotsuchi decided to enter the storeroom and see what had been taken. He had a feeling he knew _exactly_ what had been taken, but wasn't going to take any chances.

After several dozen Flash Steps, Gin checked to see if he was being followed. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw no-one was following him, he rounded a corner to catch his breath. He dropped the items he had stolen and decided to look more closely at them. He still couldn't figure out what the little cylindrical device was, or the strange cut-out that resembled a humanoid figure, but when he laid eyes upon the robe he almost slapped himself. He had seen this before.

The robe he was looking at was the same robe Kisuke Urahara had worn when he tried to apprehend Aizen in the Rukon District following his Hollowfication experiments on several Captain and Lieutenant Class Soul Reapers almost a century ago. The robe was designed to mask spiritual pressure, making the wearer impossible to detect.

Gin decided to put the robe on, knowing that if anyone was following him, they'd lose track of him immediately and he'd be able to sneak back to the hideout undetected. As soon as he put the robe on, he put the cylindrical device into his pocket and strapped the cut-out onto his back before using Flash Step to return to Aizen.

"Ah, Gin, you've returned. Welcome back. I see you were successful in your mission." Aizen said as Gin walked down the spiral staircase to the bottom of their hideout.

"Yes, and I must say I am surprised by what you had me collect. Kisuke Urahara's spiritual pressure concealing robe? How interesting." Gin replied, removing the cut-out from his back and the cylindrical device from his pocket. "Yet I must say these two items are far more interesting. What are they for?" He said as he placed everything on the table in the middle of the room.

"All will be revealed soon, Gin. Just be patient. You'll understand when I return from the World of the Living in a few days' time." Aizen commented.

"A few days? I thought the Dummy Hollow exercise wasn't for another few weeks." Gin asked.

"While you were away, I was able to pay Shūhei a visit in Squad Four. They brought him out of his coma a couple days ago and his health is rapidly improving. Captain Unohana will be releasing him tomorrow morning and cleared him for the exercise after four days of R&R." Aizen said, causing Gin to nod.

"Does that mean you'll be bringing Baraggan along with you? Ooh, can I go to Hueco Mundo and deliver the exciting news?" Gin asked, but was stopped when Aizen held up a hand.

"That won't be necessary. I've already tasked Kaname with informing Baraggan; he'll be delivering the message in the morning. Meanwhile, I shall take this time to create a few copies of Kisuke Urahara's robe, so that we can remain undetected in the World of the Living." Aizen said as he walked over to the table and picked up the robe, examining it in the light. "Was there something else, Gin?"

"Well, the passcode you gave me didn't work. I almost got caught." Gin said unhappily.

"Ah, yes… I'm sorry about that, but I had to trick you. I knew the code wasn't going to work, but I needed you to be discovered." Aizen said without looking away from the robe.

"What?! Why? I had Lieutenant Kurotsuchi after me, and she's like a bloodhound when it comes to tracking spiritual pressure. If I hadn't put the robe on, I doubt I'd've made it back here!" Gin said, sounding rather angry.

"Now, now, Gin… I know you're upset, but it was all part of my plan. After the break in, Captain Kurotsuchi will be livid, demanding answers. The Head Captain will call for a Captain's Meeting, and there you shall discover the reason why I needed you to be discovered." Aizen said, placing the robe back on the table and turning to face Gin.

"Fine, but I expect the reason to be something incredible. I don't want to find out I risked my hide for something that wasn't even important." Gin said, crossing his arms in a huff.

"Don't worry, Gin, you'll be pleasantly surprised by what my plan is…" Aizen said as he turned back to examine the robe once more.

* * *

As predicted by Aizen, Captain Kurotsuchi was furious over the break-in and had stormed into the Head Captain's office, demanding an explanation the morning after the event. Unperturbed by Captain Kurotsuchi's virulent words, the Head Captain simply summoned all the Captains for an emergency meeting.

"This Captain's Meeting is hereby called to order!" The Head Captain declared, speaking the same words he always did to signal the start of the meeting. "Captain Kurotsuchi?" He said, looking to the Squad Twelve Captain.

"An act of defilement has been committed within the confines of _my_ Squad and I demand answers!" He barked. "Some parasite thought it would be funny to infiltrate my grounds and _steal_ from me! This is unacceptable to the highest degree and I want retribution!"

"Steal? Steal what, exactly, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Captain Komamura asked.

"What they stole is not important, what's important is that the culprit is apprehended!" Mayuri yelled.

"On the contrary, Captain, I believe it is prudent to tell us what they stole and whether or not you got a good look at them." Captain Ukitake stated.

"Of course I got a good look at them! And that's why I know Captain Soifon is involved in this!" He screeched, pointing to the Squad Two Captain.

"What?! Just what the hell kind of accusation is that, you deranged lunatic?!" Soifon shouted in anger.

"A justified one, you little neophyte! It was one of _your_ Squad Members who stole from me!" Mayuri responded.

"Bullshit! All my Squad Members were occupied last night with training, and even if it was one of them, they certainly wouldn't get caught!" Soifon yelled back.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, Captain Soifon, please…" Shunsui began, holding up his hands to quell the arguing. "Perhaps if you could tell us what was stolen, we can launch a proper investigation."

"Fine! There were three items stolen; I will not divulge what they were, but I will tell you this; they were all creations of Kisuke Urahara's!" Mayuri growled.

"What?! And just why the hell would you think anyone in _my_ Squad would steal things created by that bastard?! I have no need of anything of his!" Soifon shouted, grinding her teeth.

"Not you, no… But what about Kisuke Urahara himself?" Aizen chimed in, causing everyone to look at him.

"Impossible! Kisuke Urahara was banished from the Soul Society after he performed those barbaric Hollowfication experiments on Captain Hirako and several other Captains and Lieutenants." Komamura said.

"He was the Captain of Squad Twelve for a time, so he would know the layout of the land quite well. There is also another possibility that opens the door to another viable suspect." Aizen continued, knowing all eyes were on him. "We can't forget that Kisuke Urahara was also a part of Squad Two before becoming a Captain… Under lifelong friend, Yoruichi Shihōin."

"Are you trying to tell me that Kisuke Urahara or Yoruichi Shihōin are behind this?" Yamamoto said, looking at Captain Aizen.

"It's certainly a possibility. However, we can't rule out the idea that they were both involved in this." Aizen replied, causing the Captains to murmur amongst themselves.

"I'm sorry, but that's just not possible. My Squad were assigned Guard Duty at the Senkaimon last night. It didn't open once while they were on duty." Captain Ukitake said.

"What if they didn't use the Senkaimon to enter the Soul Society?" Aizen said, getting a strange look from Ukitake.

"Then how would they enter the Soul Society? There's no other way." Shunsui stated.

"Not for us, no… Tell me, Captain Kurotsuchi, it is possible for Soul Reapers to travel by way of a Garganta?" Aizen asked, directing everyone's attention to the criminally insane Captain.

"Not at all. Well, not _naturally_ … A Garganta can only be opened by Hollows by forcing a massive influx of reishi to a single point then quickly dispersing it, causing a tear within space-time to occur, allowing travel between worlds. However, this can be bypassed with scientific knowledge of the reishi composition of a Garganta." Captain Kurotsuchi stated, causing Aizen to nod in understanding.

"But Kisuke Urahara never collected any samples of the reishi structure from a Garganta; after his induction as Captain, he spent his years turning Squad Twelve into the Department of Research and Development. After that, he… Oh my…" Captain Unohana said, a look of worry on her face.

"What is it, Captain Unohana?" Captain Komamura asked.

"Captain Hirako and the others. He performed Hollowfication experiments on hundreds of souls; normal ones and Soul Reapers alike. It was believed he was successful with Captain Hirako, but he managed to escape with them all before they could be disposed of." She said. Soon, all the Captains began to put the pieces together.

"So, you're saying that because Shinji and the other Captains and Lieutenants had been successfully turned into Hollow/Soul Reaper Hybrids, they possess the ability to open Garganta?" Shunsui asked.

"And because of that, Kisuke Urahara was able to open a Garganta into the Soul Society…" Captain Komamura continued.

"Allowing Yoruichi Shihōin to break in to Squad Twelve and steal the items Kisuke created." Aizen finished.

"Inconceivable! Master Genryūsai, we _must_ apprehend these criminals immediately." Jūshirō said.

"What do you think, Captain Kurotsuchi? Were the items that were stolen considered a threat to the Soul Society?" Aizen asked.

"Hm? No, not at all. Now I know it was Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin behind the break-in, I don't care anymore. Let them have those trinkets; _my_ experiments are much more valuable." Mayuri said, causing everyone to groan.

"That being said, these criminals need to be brought to justice." Kaname said, causing several Captains to agree with him.

"I'm afraid it's not so simple. One of the last things Kisuke Urahara was working on before he was apprehended was some sort of Gigai that is untraceable and masks spiritual pressure. Since he, Yoruichi Shihōin and the Hollowfied Soul Reapers all fled the Soul Society to the World of the Living, it would be almost impossible to locate them." Mayuri interrupted.

"So, what? We just let them get away with another crime against the Soul Society?" Jūshirō asked.

"I am afraid there is nothing more we can do. We don't have the resources to scour the world, trying to find a dozen or so people. It would be a bad idea." Aizen commented.

"So this was all just a waste of fucking time then?! Tch, typical. I'm outta here." Kenpachi snorted as he stormed out of the room.

"I suppose he does have a point… Was this really necessary, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Shunsui asked.

"It was when I thought finding the culprit would be simple. I didn't anticipate Kisuke Urahara to be the one behind the break in. Oh, well… If anyone needs me, I'll be in my lab." Mayuri said as he began to walk out, but stopped and turned to look at the Captains one more time. "Don't need me." He said before leaving.

"Heh, c'mon Jūshirō. I need a drink." Shunsui said, putting his arm around his white haired friend as they walked out.

"It's nine in the morning." Jūshirō said, looking at his friend with surprise.

"Ah, it's midnight somewhere…" He replied, waving a dismissive hand.

The Head Captain merely shook his head and vanished with Flash Step. He was starting to think it was a waste of time calling all these Captains' Meetings over such trivial matters. However, he bound by the laws put in place by Central Forty-Six, and it would be unwise to deviate from those laws.

After the Head Captain left, everyone else began to file out. After the meeting, Gin, Aizen and Kaname all met in their underground hideout.

"Well, well… Colour me impressed, Captain Aizen. It was wrong of me to doubt you." Gin said, bowing to Aizen in apology.

"That's quite alright Gin, but now you understand why I had to give you the wrong code to the door and why I needed you to be caught. Now that we've successfully accused Kisuke Urahara again, there will be no risk of anyone coming under scrutiny, meaning no-one will ever know it was us." Aizen said as he began to examine Kisuke's spiritual pressure concealing robe again.

"I know you won't tell me, but why do you keep examining that cloak? Is there something hidden in it?" Gin asked.

"No, actually, I'm looking at its design makeup to see how it works. I aim to recreate three of them for us to use in the future." Aizen said without looking away.

"Three? Why three? You already have that one, why do you need an extra?" Gin asked, looking rather perplexed.

"Have you forgotten? Ichigo Kurosaki. I still believe he'll be able to be convinced to join us. And I won't even need to use my Kyōka Suigetsu." Aizen commented before looking up from the robe. "I see… It's a simple robe with Kidō woven into it. Very clever, Kisuke Urahara…" He said to himself.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Captain Aizen? How will you be able to subjugate him otherwise?" Gin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Patience Gin… You know I'm not one to reveal my hand so soon. Just know this; using Kyōka Suigetsu isn't out of the question. Think of it as a last resort." Aizen said.

"Right…" Gin sighed, hanging his head.

"Kaname, I believe it's time you paid a visit to Baraggan. Take the cloak with you and tell him he must wear it before arriving in the World of the Living. I should be able to replicate a couple more before we leave." Aizen said, causing Kaname to stand up and bow before opening a Garganta to Hueco Mundo.

* * *

"Well, here we are! Who's ready to kick some ass in the World of the Living?" Renji said with excitement.

It was the day of the Hollow Training exercise in the World of the Living and to say everyone was involved would be an understatement. The atmosphere was electric, with all the First Year students in the Advanced Class had gathered outside the Senkaimon; the gateway to the World of the Living.

"Settle down, Renji. Save your energy for the Hollows, alright?" Izuru said, stifling a yawn.

"What's with you? Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today." Renji replied.

"No, more like someone never actually woke up, because I never went to sleep." Izuru said, rubbing his eyes.

"What?! You didn't get _any_ sleep?! But, you're Mr. Schedule; even your bathroom breaks are calculated." Renji said, smirking.

"Yeah, well, I was nervous about today's exercise; no matter how much I tried, I couldn't get to sleep." Izuru explained, yawning again.

"What have you got to be nervous about? They're not even real Hollows. They're just something Captain Kurotsuchi and his nerds over at Squad Twelve cooked up. You'll be fine." Renji said, trying to calm the blond's nerves.

"Just because the Hollow aren't real doesn't mean we can get complacent; any injuries we suffer will be very real." Izuru responded, causing his red headed friend to grin.

"Ah, you worry too much. Forget about it!" Renji said, waving a dismissive hand.

"Hey, where's Momo and Ichigo? Shouldn't they be here by now?" Izuru asked, scanning the crowd for Ichigo's signature orange hair,

"Hey, behind you." Renji pointed, as Izuru turned around and saw Ichigo and Momo walking towards the pair.

"Hey! Good morning, Izuru! Good morning, Renji!" Momo said with a smile, waving at her friends.

"Hey, Momo. Ichigo." Renji said, nodding to them both.

"Wow, Izuru, are you ok? You look awful!" Momo said, looking at Izuru with shock.

"Yeah, he's fine. He just didn't get any sleep last night." Renji said, causing Momo's eyes to widen.

"You didn't get any sleep?! But, you're Mr. Schedule; even your bathroom breaks are calculated." Momo said, causing Renji to burst into laughter.

"Would you stop talking about my bathroom breaks?!" Izuru shouted. "Anyway, Ichigo, have you seen Shūhei yet?" Izuru asked, trying to change the subject.

"No, not yet. I saw Kanisawa and Aoga though. While Kanisawa is being an A-Grade bitch to me, Aoga seems indifferent." Ichigo sighed, shaking his head. "But they're not the only ones."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Izuru asked.

"You really _are_ tired huh, aren't you? Take a look around; what do you see?" Ichigo asked.

Izuru looked around and for the first time, he noticed that everyone was glaring at Ichigo. He could see a few students muttering to one another. While he couldn't hear what they were saying, he knew it was unpleasant and about Ichigo.

"Wow… How long has this been going on for?" Izuru asked.

"Let me think… Ever since I almost killed Shūhei." Ichigo said bluntly.

"Seriously? I had no idea it was still going on! I mean, I know people were afraid of you and gave you a very wide berth, even I'll admit to being a little intimidated by your power to begin with, but I got past that and I thought everyone else would too." Izuru said.

"Not everyone is as kind and understanding as you are, Izuru. People are terrified by the unknown and things they've never seen before; it's hard for them to accept." Ichigo said. Shrugging.

"Yes, I suppose you're right… Ah well, if they can't look past your intimidating power, then they're not worth worrying about." Izuru said with a smile.

"Yeah, exactly. Now, let's get ready to kick some ass in this exercise!" Ichigo said with a grin, as he put his hand on Izuru's shoulder.

With a nod Izuru, Momo, Ichigo and Renji all gathered around the Senkaimon and awaited orders on how to proceed. Just before they gathered, Shūhei had made his appearance and he looked to be in good health, much to Ichigo's relief.

"Alright, listen up everyone. You know why we're all here. We're about to embark on an exercise to the World of the Living to fight Dummy Hollows. Members of the Kidō Corps have already gone on ahead to create a barrier around the designated area, so you'll be safe to go all out and use all your strength in this exercise." Shūhei said, looking directly at Ichigo when he said the last part of his sentence.

 _What the…? Did… Did he just grin at me?_ Ichigo thought. Ichigo could have sworn there was a slight grin on Shūhei's face when he looked at him. _Does that mean he's not angry at what I did to him?_

"You'll be split into groups of four and we've decided to let you guys choose your partners; you know how well each of you work together and we want to see how well you can do as a team. But this is a one-time thing; we're more interested in how you handle combat with a Hollow. Next time, we'll be making the groups so you can learn how to work with people you don't know well. Any questions?" Shūhei finished explaining and looked at the group of students and no-one raised their hands.

Without another word, Shūhei, Kanisawa and Aoga entered the Senkaimon, followed by the class in their groups. The group of Ichigo, Momo, Renji and Izuru were the last ones to go.

"You guys ready?" Ichigo asked, looking over his shoulder to his friends, who all nodded. With a grin, Ichigo unsheathed his sword, held it like he was about to throw it and put two fingers on the flat side of the blade.

"Disrupt… Zangetsu!" He shouted as he dragged his fingers down the blade as blue spirit energy exploded from the sword and engulfed him in a torrent of powerful spirit energy.

When the storm had dissipated, Ichigo was holding the large Khyber Knife Zanpakutō over his shoulder, ready for battle. Without another word, he walked into the bright light of the Senkaimon and in to the World of the Living, followed closely by Momo, Renji and Izuru.

* * *

"Welcome, Baraggan, to the World of the Living. I'm so pleased you could make it." Aizen said as Baraggan exited the Garganta he had come through.

"You think I was going to miss the opportunity to set my Hollows on a rampage? Not likely." Baraggan snorted.

"Yes, I hear the Hollows you have selected are very special. Perhaps you can explain their power to me while we wait?" Aizen asked.

"What's there to tell? They're able to mask both their physical and spiritual presence. No-one can detect them when they're hidden… Not even you, it would seem." Baraggan said, an arrogant smirk appeared on his face.

"Perhaps you are right…" Aizen simply shrugged. "But it doesn't matter how well they can hide, there's no way they're getting past this barrier the Kidō Corps have erected around the area."

"Then we simply cut our way through!" The old Arrancar growled.

"That's exactly what we intend on doing, but not yet… We must wait until everyone is focussed on fighting the Dummy Hollows. Until then, would you like to know more about where we are?" Aizen asked, smirking at Baraggan.

"Not really, no." Baraggan snorted.

"Come now, Baraggan; it never hurts to learn. Knowledge is power, after all. Besides, I think it would be better than standing here in complete silence." Aizen commented.

"Complete silence is fine by me." The Hollow King said, causing Aizen to simply roll his eyes and shake his head. He knew Ulquiorra would never pass up an opportunity to learn.

* * *

"Alright, guys, let's kick some ass!" Renji said, grinning.

"Ok, but we need a battle plan first. We can't just run in head first." Izuru said as the group of four were huddled together and devising a strategy.

"Well, I can provide a distraction with Kidō and force the Hollows into an area where it can't escape from." Momo suggested.

"Alright, well I think Renji can be the decoy. He can lead the Hollows over to Momo and then she can send them to us." Ichigo said, referring to Izuru.

"Hey, wait a minute! Why do I have to be the bait?!" Renji asked indignantly.

"Because you suck at Kidō and you aren't smart enough to do anything else. Just wave your arms around and make a lot of noise. You certainly know how to do that." Ichigo said with a grin.

"Bite me, you bastard!" Renji snapped.

"Knock it off you two. Renji, just be the bait for now and we can swap later. This exercise is all about being able to function as part of a group and being able to change strategies on the fly. What we need more than incredible Kidō and Zanjutsu skills is communication." Izuru stated.

"Yeah, yeah…" Renji sighed, rolling his eyes.

A loud buzzer in the area sounded, signalling the beginning of the exercise and almost immediately, Ichigo's group found themselves a Hollow.

"Alright, get into positions! Renji, go get that thing's attention and bring it over to Momo! Ichigo and I will be waiting on the other side of this building!" Izuru shouted as Renji ran off to gain the Hollow's attention and Momo took her position, ready to send it over to Izuru and Ichigo.

"Hey, over here! Over here, you dumbass Hollow!" Renji yelled, waving his arms about to get the Hollow's attention.

The Hollow he had found was a giant lizard-like creature with a full faced mask and red eyes. It turned to see where the noise was coming from and saw Renji, acting like an idiot. It locked eyes with Renji and hissed.

"Heh… That was easy. Oh, crap." Renji said as he saw the Hollow swing its tail at Renji, sending him flying into a wall. "Ok, ow. That actually hurt." He said as he pulled himself out of the large human-shaped crater he had left in the wall.

Not wasting any time, the Hollow began charging at Renji. Smirking, Renji took off running in an attempt to lead it over to Momo.

"Alright, here it comes, Momo!" Renji yelled, as he led the Hollow towards Momo.

"Hadō Number Thirty-One; Shakkahō!" She yelled, shooting a ball of red spirit energy at the ground in front of the Hollow, causing it to rear up and let out a loud roar.

"Hadō Number Four; Byakurai!" Momo shouted, sending a streak of lightning that hit the Lizard Hollow's underbelly, causing it to shriek in pain before dropping back on all fours and climbing up the side of the building. For good measure, she fired another shot of Byakurai at the Hollow, narrowly missing its tail as it climbed over the building.

"Ichigo! Izuru! It's coming your way!" She shouted, allowing Ichigo and Izuru to prepare.

"So, do you want the first one, or shall I take it?" Ichigo asked, holding his Zanpakutō over his shoulder as the pair saw the incoming Hollow.

"Uhh, you take this one. You're stronger than I am." Izuru said.

"Maybe so, but then it would stand to reason that you should take it, to improve your skills." Ichigo pointed out, causing Izuru to look at him with uncertainty. "Oh, forget it." He sighed as he leapt at the Hollow, splitting its mask and causing it to become a skeletal puppet-like object before collapsing to the ground.

"See, now was that so bad?" Ichigo asked, sticking his Zanpakutō into the ground.

"Uhh, I suppose not…" Izuru said.

"Good. Now, you've got the next one." Ichigo said with a smirk.

After a few minutes, the group found another Hollow; an ant-like one this time. After quickly devising a battle plan, Ichigo went off to attract its attention, just to shut Renji up.

"Hadō Number Sixty-Three; Raikōhō!" Ichigo shouted, firing a beam of yellow electrified spirit energy at the Hollow, slicing the ground next to it, grabbing its attention.

With a loud screech, the ant-like Hollow rushed towards Ichigo, opening its mandibles and raising the scythe-like front limbs, in an attempt to devour Ichigo.

Ichigo merely smiled and waved as at the last second, he vanished with Flash Step and reappeared behind it.

"Renji! Momo! Now!" Ichigo shouted.

"Bakudō Number Four; Hainawa!" Both Renji and Momo shouted in unison, firing a thin yellow rope from their fingertips. The rope ensnared the creature's legs, causing it to tumble to the ground, screeching in anger, trying to break free.

"Well, I guess it's now or never…" Izuru sighed as he drew his sword and charged at the still-struggling beast.

With a decisive slash, Izuru cut off the Hollow's head, causing it to transform into the dummy that it really was, with the 'head' of the dummy falling off.

"Oooh, Captain Kurotsuchi is going to be maaaaad!" Renji said in a sing-song tone, referring to the fact Izuru broke one of the dummies.

"How old are you, Renji? Seven?" Momo asked, rolling her eyes. "Nice job, Izuru." She smiled at her nervous friend.

"Thanks. I guess that wasn't so bad." Izuru said steadily, adrenaline coursing through his body.

"See, I knew you could do it. Nice work!" Ichigo said, slapping Izuru's shoulder.

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go find us another one!" Renji said, before sprinting off to seek out another Hollow to defeat.

* * *

"I do believe the time has come." Aizen said, pushing up his glasses and unsheathing his sword.

"Good. Let's get this over with." Baraggan said gruffly, pulling out his battle-axe.

"While I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, don't remove that cloak. If you do, all the Captains will swarm this place like moths to a flame." Aizen said.

Baraggan merely snorted before rushing off to start his killing spree.

 _I hope you watch closely when we're done here, Baraggan. You're about to witness your future replacement show off his strength._ Aizen though, looking at Baraggan as he went off to dispatch the Kidō Corps Members who were holding the barrier.

Baraggan, wasting no time, sliced through several Soul Reapers before they even had time to realise they were under attack. The first two he decapitated in a single swing, their heads falling to the floor and blood shooting out of their necks like a pressurised fountain.

He bifurcated another one at the waist, his torso had hit the floor before his legs could even register they had been separated from the top part of his body. Another he sliced in two right down the middle, both halves of the Soul Reaper fell to the ground in a mess of blood and internal organs.

After that, he cut down three more. It was then the group comprehended they were under attack and began to flee. Two unfortunate Soul Reapers were cut in two above the waist, their bodies hit the floor while their legs continued running for several meters before they too fell to the ground.

The last Soul Reaper had managed to get far out of Baraggan's range. He could have used Sonido to catch up to her, but instead he simply lifted his battle-axe over his head and hurled it at her, impaling her in the back and causing her body to fall forward, skidding several meters across the concrete before stopping, leaving a streak of blood behind.

Baraggan slowly walked up to his final victim and tugged at his weapon. It had buried itself deep into the target's back. After a final tug, he pulled it free, lifting the corpse up to pull it out. He then noticed that her face had been removed, a gruesome result of her body skidding along unforgiving concrete. Even the skull had multiple scrapes and had bits of gravel embedded into it.

"How pathetic…" He murmured as he sheathed his weapon and returned to the skies above the industrial park they were at, awaiting Aizen to return.

Almost immediately after he arrived, Aizen had also returned. He flicked the last few drops of blood off his Zanpakutō before sheathing it again.

"So, did we have fun?" Aizen asked with a dark smile.

"Let's just get this over with." Baraggan shook his head as he pointed at the industrial park, which was now totally vulnerable.

While no-one else was aware of it, Baraggan had commanded the three massive Hollows to descend upon the area and attack the Academy Students that were down there.

"Very well… I shall head back to the Soul Society and await the call that the students are under attack. I will be back soon. Don't go anywhere." Aizen said, as he opened a Garganta using the device Kaname had used in the past.

* * *

While Ichigo and his group were fighting three Hollows simultaneously, Ichigo had stopped when he heard Old Man Zangetsu's voice.

" _Ichigo, do you feel that? Something is coming…"_ Zangetsu said.

"No, I don't feel anything…" Ichigo said, looking around.

" _Be on your guard, Ichigo; I do not like this."_ Zangetsu commanded.

Ichigo did as he was told and took up a defensive stance. Momo, who had just finished dispatching the last of the trio of Hollows looked over at Ichigo and knew something was up.

"Ichigo, is everything alright?" She asked, sounding concerned.

"Keep an eye out for anything suspicious… Something's coming." Ichigo said, causing Momo to start looking around, feeling slightly panicked.

It was then Ichigo saw it. Behind Izuru, he could see something shimmering before it took on a physical form. It was a Hollow and a massive one at that. It was dark blue and had a mask that looked similar to the Devil.

"IZURU! BEHIND YOU!" Ichigo roared, causing everyone to turn and look at what Ichigo was looking at.

Renji's eyes widened in shock at seeing the giant Hollow. Before Izuru could turn around, the Hollow raised its massive hand and swatted Izuru away, sending him crashing through a building at incredible speed.

Momo screamed in shock, which echoed across the park. Ichigo, however, leaped at the Hollow, in an attempt to take revenge for his fallen friend. He swung his Zanpakutō at the demon, slicing it across the chest, but to his shock, there was no scratch.

"What the hell?! What is this thing made of? Steel?" Ichigo said as he landed back on the ground. Wasting no time, he launched another offensive, targeting the creature's mask.

The Hollow simply roared, the sheer force pushed Ichigo back to the ground. After his first attack, he felt his Zanpakutō's weight increase and it started getting hot.

"Both of you, get out of here! Find Shūhei and–!" Ichigo shouted at Renji and Momo before he was also smacked away by the Hollow, crashing into a building and falling to the ground.

"Ichigo!" Momo cried out, as she began to run over to her boyfriend, but was stopped when she felt someone tugging on her arm. "Renji? Let me go! Can't you see he's hurt?!" She shouted, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"I can see that, but there's nothing you can do! You'll only get yourself hurt or worse! We need to find Shūhei!" Renji yelled, silencing Momo's protests and dragging her away from the battle to find Shūhei.

The collision Ichigo had with the building had knocked him unconscious and he found himself transported to his inner world. When he woke up, he was greeted by Old Man Zangetsu.

"Old Man! What the hell was that thing? It's huge and I couldn't even cut it!" Ichigo yelled, standing up.

"That was a very powerful Hollow. A form of Menos Grande I have never witnessed before." The Old Man explained.

"'Menos Grande'? What's that?" Ichigo asked, looking at Zangetsu with confusion.

"A Menos Grande is the most powerful form of Hollow. However, it comes in three Sub-Classes; Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde. By the feeling of its spiritual pressure and it's appearance, I would have to guess it's an Adjuchas." Zangetsu said.

"Right, but how do we defeat it?! Izuru's in trouble and Momo and Renji could be next!" Ichigo yelled in desperation.

" **Ichigo, you need to settle down! You honestly think I'm going to let a little bitch like that smack me around. Oh, you are** _ **so**_ **wrong about that!"** A voice shouted from behind Ichigo. When he turned around, he was face to face with his white doppelgänger again.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ichigo asked in a dark tone.

" **Isn't it obvious? I'm here to help you kill that motherfucker!"** The White Ichigo said, pulling a wrapped sword off his back, which looked very familiar to Ichigo.

As he unwrapped it, Ichigo found himself standing face-to-face with what would be a mirror image of himself, were it not for the difference in colour.

"How the hell do you have Zangetsu?" Ichigo asked, pointing to the giant Khyber Knife in his doppelgänger's hands. It was identical to Ichigo's Zanpakutō, except it was white and not black.

" **How many time do I have to say it?"** White Ichigo said as he threw the White Zangetsu into the air and began spinning it by the cloth hanging from the handle. **"I. Am. Zangetsu."** He hissed, still spinning the sword, the tip of the blade striking the ground repeatedly, cutting into the surface.

"No, you're not! Zangetsu is right… Behind me?" Ichigo said, turning around and realising Zangetsu was gone.

" **I'm tired of this carry on. Just shut up and prepare to fight!"** White Ichigo cackled, swinging the blade at Ichigo, who pulled out his own Zanpakutō to block the strike.

Ichigo swatted the blade away and charged in, hoping to find an opening now his opponent was unarmed. He had no such luck however, as his doppelgänger tugged on the cloth and pulled his Zanpakutō into his hands to meet Ichigo's attack with his own.

The pair clashed blades multiple times before Ichigo used Flash Step to put some distance between him and his opponent.

"Hadō Number Sixty-Three; Raikōhō!" Ichigo shouted, firing the incredibly powerful spell directly at White Ichigo, who simply sliced through it, causing the spell to split in two and explode on two different sides behind him.

" **What are you doing?!"** He shouted, glaring at Ichigo.

"Umm, I'm fighting you, like you wanted?" Ichigo said, unsure of the reason behind his doppelgänger's outburst.

" **Don't use Kidō! It's not going to help you here!"** He yelled.

"What's that supposed to me?" Ichigo said, raising an eyebrow.

" **Can't you feel it? Your Zanpakutō…"** White Ichigo said, casing Ichigo to look at his blade. That's when it hit him.

"The spirit energy in my Zanpakutō… It's gone!" Ichigo commented.

" **Good, so you're not a total moron after all. Yes, you just discharged it by unknowingly channelling it into your Kidō. That isn't what you're meant to do!"** White Ichigo shouted.

"Then what am I supposed to do with it? I've never been able to discharge it before; I thought that was a good thing." Ichigo said, sounding greatly confused.

" **Yeah, it can be, but that's not what you need to learn now. You need to learn to discharge it from your blade at will! The resulting attack is a hundred times more powerful than using it in any other way."** White Ichigo commented.

"Then how do I do that? I've been trying for ages and I can't figure it out." Ichigo said, sounding irritated.

" **I can only show you the proper steps…"** White Ichigo said as he proceeded to strike at Ichigo again. **"However, this piece of advice is free; when you feel your Zanpakutō getting hot, the resulting strike will be at its maximum strength and its full power will be revealed."**

Ichigo said no more and began to attack his doppelgänger again pushing him back bit by bit. With each strike, he could feel the blade get heavier and heavier.

 _Alright, I feel the spirit energy increasing and the blade is hot, but how do I discharge it? What did he say…? 'I can only show you the proper steps'? What can that mean?_ Ichigo thought as he swung his Zanpakutō and totally missed his target, who used Flash Step to disappear and reappear behind him.

Ichigo had no time to turn to block the attack, so he flipped his sword over his back to protect himself. His blade collided with his opponent's and caused a shower of sparks as they grinded together. His doppelgänger jumped back and Ichigo turned around, keeping one foot where it was and putting the other in front, like he was about to start running, swung his blade around and that's when it happened.

As he brought his Zanpakutō around, a huge beam of blue spirit energy erupted from the blade and was fired directly at his white counterpart.

All his doppelgänger could do was raise his Zanpakutō and block the incoming attack. As the attack collided with Ichigo's white counterpart, there was a huge explosion and smoke began to cover the battlefield. When the smoke dissipated, Ichigo stood there, looking at his doppelgänger, who was badly damaged, but had a smirk on his face.

" **Heh… Well would you look at that… You actually did it. I have to say, I'm impressed."** White Ichigo panted, dropping to one knee.

"What the hell did I just do and why didn't you dodge it?" Ichigo asked.

" **The simple answer that is I couldn't. The complicated answer is that the move you just used, every time you cross swords with an opponent, you sap their spirit energy and store it in your Zanpakutō. That's why it gets heavier and hotter with every strike. When you fire it back at you opponent, it's a combination of their energy and yours that heavily amplified. The result is that it disrupts the flow of spirit energy, meaning they can't avoid it with Flash Step, or use their own spirit energy-based attacks to block."** White Ichigo explained.

"That sounds incredibly powerful… Almost too powerful." Ichigo said.

" **It is powerful, but the only reason you were able to execute it so quickly in here is because you were fighting against your own spirit energy. In a normal battle, such an attack takes time to charge. You can, however, fire off this attack using just your own spirit energy at will. The only drawback is that it's not as powerful and it loses its disruption ability."** Ichigo's doppelgänger explained.

"Will this be enough to defeat that Hollow?" Ichigo asked.

" **Not on its own… If you know the name of this attack, it should be. Along with the spirit energy you've sapped from the Dummy Hollows and your first attack on this fucker."** The doppelgänger explained.

"Then what's the name of this attack?" Ichigo asked. As his inner world began to fade away **,** his white counterpart looked at him with a grin.

" **Getsuga Tenshō."** He said as everything went black and Ichigo regained consciousness.

* * *

"Shūhei! Shūhei!" Renji yelled out, as he and Momo ran up to the Senior Student.

"What is it?" He asked, looking at the two dishevelled Freshmen.

"I-I don't know! Some big ass Hollow is attacking! It's seriously injured Izuru and Ichigo!" Renji shouted.

"What?! How is that possible?!" Shūhei yelled.

"C'mon, we'll take you to it!" Renji shouted.

"No need! It's already here!" Momo said, pointing to the beast that was slowly making its way over to them.

"There's no way… How the hell did that get through the barrier?" Shūhei said, looking at the monstrosity before him before turning his earpiece on and tried contacting the Kidō Corps at the barrier entrance. "Barrier Team, come in! Do you read me? Barrier Team, report in!" Shūhei spoke, but received no response. "Dammit! Kanisawa, Aoga! Are you there?!"

" _We read you, Shūhei. We have a serious problem. There are two giant Hollows here that just appeared out of nowhere!_ " Kanisawa's voice came through on the earpiece.

"What?! There's two more?!" Shūhei cried, earning looks of terror from Renji and Momo. "I'll contact the Soul Society and request back-up from a Captain, you guys bring the Hollows to me, and we'll deal with them until help arrives."

" _Understood. We are converging on your position now. Out._ " Kanisawa said before cutting off communication with Shūhei.

"There's no way we can fight this thing. Freshmen, get out of here!" Shūhei yelled, pulling out his Zanpakutō.

"We're staying! We're not about to let you fight this on your own." Renji shouted, drawing his own sword.

"That isn't a request; it's an order! Get the hell out of here!" Shūhei screamed, causing Renji to falter momentarily.

"Renji, let's just get out of here!" Momo shouted, this time dragging him away from the Hollow.

"Soul Society, this is Shūhei Hisagi! We're under attack by three very powerful Hollows! Requesting back up of a Captain immediately!" Shūhei spoke into the earpiece again.

" _Roger that, sending a Captain Class Soul Reaper as combat support. They will be there ASAP._ " The reply came, causing Shūhei to sigh. At least help was on the way.

"Shūhei!" Kanisawa yelled as she and Aoga arrived at Shūhei's location, with two giant Hollows following them. Before anyone could react, one of the Hollows swiped at Aoga, knocking him into a building.

"Aoga! What the hell happened here?! Where did they come from and how did they get past the barrier?!" Shūhei asked as Kanisawa drew her Zanpakutō.

"I don't know, but we have to keep the Freshmen safe until back-up arrives." Kanisawa said, preparing to attack the massive Hollows.

"Reap; Kazeshini!" Shūhei yelled, his Zanpakutō turning into his Shikai form of two twin-bladed scythes connected by a chain. "A Captain will be here soon!" He shouted as he swung one of the scythes at the Hollow with the Devil mask, but to his shock, the blade just bounced off and did nothing.

The Devil Hollow let out an ear-piercing roar. It was obvious Shūhei had pissed it off. It lifted up a clawed hand and where there was five sharp fingers, it multiplied into ten thin, razor sharp claws and slashed at Shūhei, cutting his face badly and blinding him in one eye with all the blood that poured from the three deep lacerations on his face.

Crying out in pain, he dropped his Zanpakutō and fell to the ground, clutching his face.

"Shūhei!" Kanisawa cried out, running over to assist her friend. The next thing she knew, she was being crushed by an incredible force and she felt her feet leave the ground. The Hollow that had attacked Shūhei had decided she was lunch and picked her up.

As Shūhei was on the ground in pain, he couldn't see what happened, all he could hear was Kanisawa screaming. Forcing his eyes open, he saw Kanisawa had been picked up by the Hollow and was about to be eaten.

"Shūhei, help!" She screamed, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Kanisawa!" Shūhei shouted, trying to stand up and pick up his Zanpakutō. There was nothing he could do to save his friend, and had to simply watch as the beast devoured her. "I'm sorry…" He whispered, tears forming in his eyes, which he proceeded to shut tightly. He couldn't watch his friend die.

"Getsuga… TENSHŌ!" A voice roared, splitting the night sky, causing Shūhei to open his eyes in surprise. He knew that voice.

The next thing he knew, a massive explosion of spirit energy came thundering through the area, fired directly at the Devil Hollow, splitting it in two. The creature didn't even have time to roar as it exploded and turned into spirit particles. Kanisawa, who was about to be eaten by the Hollow began to fall to the ground. If the Hollow didn't kill her, then a fall from that height would.

Screaming in terror, she closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable impact… Which never came. Confused, she stopped screaming and opened her eyes to find she was safely on the ground, next to Shūhei.

"Sh-Shūhei? What happened? Did you save me?" Kanisawa asked, looking at her blood-soaked friend.

"No… He did." Shūhei whispered, pointing to the person standing in front of them.

Kanisawa looked up and saw someone wearing a Soul Reaper Academy uniform, a huge Zanpakutō slung over their shoulder and a head of bright, orange hair.

"I-Ichigo?! What the..? How did you defeat that thing?!" She asked.

"So many questions, so little time to answer them…" Ichigo said, turning to face Shūhei, Kanisawa and the other two Hollows. Both Shūhei and Kanisawa could see Ichigo's eyes; one was bright blue, the same as his spirit energy, the other was… Yellow?

"Your eyes… What the hell?" Shūhei said.

"Alright, you fuckers! Who wants to die next?!" Ichigo yelled, pointing his Zanpakutō at the Hollows, releasing an immense amount of spirit energy, ultimately crushing Shūhei and Kanisawa under its sheer pressure.

"This spiritual pressure… It's… It's incredible!" Shūhei choked out, being forced down by the crushing pressure of Ichigo's spirit energy.

"What the hell… Is he?!" Kanisawa said, the words struggling to leave her mouth.

Before Ichigo could react, he saw a flash of light and the two Hollows began screeching in pain. It took Ichigo a second to realise it wasn't light, but the reflection of the moonlight on a blade. The blade had pierced through the heads of both Hollows, resulting in them exploding and turning into spirit particles.

Ichigo looked confused and stopped exerting his spiritual pressure, which caused his eyes to go back to their usual shade of brown. When he saw where the blade had come from, he saw two people walking towards him. Both were wearing Soul Reaper Shihakushōs and white coats. Ichigo knew they were Captains.

The one who had killed the Hollows had a mop of silver hair and a large, perpetual, fox-like smile on his face. He retracted his Zanpakutō and put it up one of his sleeves.

The other Captain was a man who had shaggy brown hair and wore glasses. When he came over to the group, he had a look of concern on his face.

"Shūhei, are you and everyone else ok? I thought the report detailed three Hollows? I saw only two." The man with glasses said, helping Shūhei up off the ground.

"There was, sir, but…" Shūhei began, trailing off.

"Go on, Shūhei." The Captain encouraged.

"He killed it before you arrived, sir." Shūhei said, pointing to Ichigo.

"I see… You must be Ichigo Kurosaki. I saw you at your match with Shūhei here several weeks ago. Is what Shūhei saying true? You killed one of these Hollows?" He asked.

"Yes, sir. It was going to eat Kanisawa. I couldn't sit by and allow that to happen." Ichigo said.

"I see… Gin, would you kindly call for a Squad Four Medical team?" The Captain with glasses said to the silver-haired Captain.

"Right away, Captain!" Gin said, saluting the other Captain, causing him to shake his head.

"Are you alright, Ichigo? You're not hurt as well, are you?" The brown haired Captain asked, examining the orange haired teen.

"No, Captain… Umm…" Ichigo said, realising he didn't know the name of the man before him.

"Ah, where are my manners? Ichigo Kurosaki, this here is Squad Three Captain, Gin Ichimaru." He said, pointing to the silver haired man, who simply waved at Ichigo. "I am the Captain of Squad Five. My name is Sōsuke Aizen." He said, extending his hand to Ichigo.

"I see… Nice to meet you, Captain Aizen. I thank you and Captain Ichimaru for saving us." Ichigo said, shaking the man's hand then bowing in gratitude to the Captain.

"That's quite alright. Now, I hate to do this, but could you come with me? I need you to return to the Soul Society with me." Aizen said as he turned and beckoned Ichigo to follow, which he did so.

"But, what about everyone here? Shūhei, Kanisawa, Aoga, and my friend Izuru have all been hurt." Ichigo said.

"Gin has already called for a Medical Team from Squad Four; they'll be here soon. Right now, there's someone I need you to see." Aizen said as he pulled out his Zanpakutō and opened the Senkaimon.

"See? Who do I need to see, Captain Aizen?" Ichigo asked, sealing his Zanpakutō and sheathing it. At this question, Aizen turned around and looked at Ichigo.

"The Head Captain." He said as he entered the Senkaimon, closely followed by Ichigo.

* * *

 **A/N; Alright, who enjoyed this Chapter?! A lot happened so I hope it was exciting. Ichigo now knows Getsuga Tenshō and I've given it a special ability. It temporarily disrupts the flow of spirit energy in the area, making it impossible to use attacks/techniques that require spirit energy. Which is why Zangetsu's release command is 'Disrupt'.**

 **Ichigo finally meets Captain Aizen and we finally met two Espada; Nnoitra and Baraggan (we also learn Nnoitra 'killed' Nel, but we'll see her again later. Ooooh, spoilers! Well, not really...). I hope I captured their personalities and attitudes well. I would like to quickly explain why Baraggan in the Primera. If you watched the Anime, you'll remember Starrk's flashback to when Aizen found him, he was wearing his Arrancar Coat and his hair was slicked back, suggesting he found Starrk AFTER he defected, meaning at this point, Baraggan is the most powerful Espada. Halibel is the same; he saved her from that Hammerhead Hollow after he defected. Also, fun fact; all the Espada have double letters in their names. Don't believe me? StaRRk, BaraGGan, HaRRibel (Well, that's how it's spelled in the Japanese version), UlquioRRa, NNoitra, GriMMjow, ZoMMari, SzayelapoRRo, AAroniero, YaMMy. Let's not forget NeLLiel, DordonII, CirucII, GantenbaiNNe, RudborNN… The list goes on. How cool is that?! Sorry, off the point… What was my point again? Fuck, I forgot.**

 **Never mind. This is my longest Chapter to date; 13,731 words (excluding this A/N), so I'm hoping you all enjoy it. I wasn't intending on having the Hollow exercise in this Chapter, but I thought, 'Fuck it, might as well go with it.' So I started recrafting my original idea. I was considering leaving it after Ichigo learns Getsuga Tenshō, but I thought that was kinda dumb, so I went with this instead. I think it's a much better cliffhanger. I hope. Also, I hope the whole 'inner world battle' deal was good. I'm not that good at writing that stuff. I find it easy to write combat scenes (speaking of, how'd y'all like that bit where Baraggan was fucking shit up? Pretty gory huh? If it's TOO much, then just let me know and I will dial it back in future) and scenes where Ichigo can learn new things, but writing a battle scene with White Ichigo (I KNOW! It's actually Zangetsu, but Ichigo doesn't know that yet, so he's just White Ichigo for now) and having him learn new things? I'm a little worried he's giving too much info away without any actual fighting. Any opinions you have would be good, just don't be a dick about it.**

 **Anyway… Review Time!**

 **Name The Missing; I feel that Yhwach is just stupidly OP, so I'm going to change his power and attitude when I get to that arc. I might have Uryū in there somewhere at some point. At this point, I'm thinking it'll only be a few years before this happens, so Uryū will be an adult or something, but we'll see… Yes, I'm planning on using those Anime Arcs in my story. Might do a poll to see who wants what first or something. Again, we'll see…**

 **FindingProvidence; Thank you, I'm glad you like how I've structured things. I hope this Chapter pleases your tastes as well. I'm happy to know you think I've captured Ichigo's personality well (and that you think Momo is adorable), I hope I have successfully built on things in this Chapter. As for White, well he'll become a more prominent being further down the line, but right now, I just hope I'm selling who he is as a character so far. I see him as simply wanting Ichigo to get stronger so he can take over his body; that's it. If you like Aizen's scheming and Gin being Gin, then I'm confident this will be a good Chapter. As you can tell, I've centred this one around Aizen trying to get things rolling for later. How'd you like the scheme Aizen had for Gin breaking into Squad Twelve. I'm not the genius Tite Kubo is, but I hope that's something like he'd do.**

 **Guest/SnowyAssas1n; I'm going to reply to you both simultaneously, because your reviews are quite similar. I'll be honest, I really don't know if that huge sword was an Asauchi or not. I just came to that conclusion using logic and Bleach Lore; it was a nameless sword that he used to fight Hollows and was a representation of his spirit energy. I can't remember the conversation Nimaiya had with Ichigo about his 'Asauchi' (I read that Chapter in like October last year, or something), so I just kinda rolled with the idea. But, like you guys know; this is a retelling with a few of my own ideas on how things work (see my explanation of how Garganta work, as I literally made that up as I don't know if the method on how it works was outlined at all), which makes the story all the more unique, so long as it's believable. At least, that's what I think.**

 **SnowyAssas1n/ZeroSquadSephiroth; As you both said you wanted to see a IchigoxNel pairing, I shall reply to you both here. I'm considering it, because I love Nel, but I'm also reserved to the idea that Hollows (and by extension, Arrancar), aren't the kind of beings to be 'Monogamous', so I'm really considering Ichigo being in an open relationship with several female Arrancar. Nel will certainly be one of them, if you guys give the green light for it, otherwise I'll seriously have to consider my options as to who gets him exclusively. I'll probably put that to a vote as well at some point, unless you guys are cool with a 'Harem' story later on.**

 **Thank you to everyone who has Favourited, Followed and Reviewed my story so far. I can only hope it stays popular, as the more people that read, favourite, follow and review my story, the faster I write new material for it. I won't lie, when I read other people's stuff and find it's so much more popular than mine, I kinda feel like my story is inadequate and kinda lose motivation, so all your support is greatly appreciated and keeps me motivated.**

 **Until next time, my friends!**


	8. An Interesting Proposal

Chapter Eight – An Interesting Proposition

Ichigo was currently sat on the Academy grounds, under the giant sakura tree, trying to process everything that had occurred since he left the World of the Living with Captain Aizen. He had spent several hours, just sitting there, wondering if everything that had happened was real. He didn't even hear Momo or Renji walk up to him.

"Hey, there he is. Ichigo! Ichigo, where have you been? We've been trying to find you all day!" Renji called out, but receiving no response from Ichigo.

"Ichigo? Are you ok?" Momo asked, waving her hand in front of her boyfriend's face, which had a glazed look upon it.

"Huh? Wha–? Yeah, I'm alright. What's up?" Ichigo said as he shook his head and came out of his thoughts.

"We've been looking for you all day. Where did you go after what happened in the World of the Living? I was guessing you were taken back to Squad Four, but Captain Unohana said she hadn't seen you today and you weren't admitted for treatment, unlike Izuru." Renji said, looking at his friend who was sat on the ground, a tired look on his face.

"Oh, yeah… How's Izuru doing anyway? I lost track of him after that Hollow slapped him into next week." Ichigo said.

"He'll be fine; he's suffered a concussion and a couple broken bones, but he'll live. But don't change the subject. Where have you been? We've been worried; especially Momo." Renji said, trying to get an answer out of Ichigo.

"Oh, right, yeah… I never went to Squad Four after the attack. I wasn't hurt, so I was escorted to see the Head Captain by Captain Aizen." Ichigo said, his thoughts momentarily returning to his meeting with the Head Captain.

"The Head Captain?! Jesus, Ichigo! What the hell did you do? If you were escorted to see the Head Captain, you must've done something serious. Wait, you're not getting expelled from the Academy, are you?!" Renji asked, clearly shocked by what Ichigo had told him.

"You're half right, Renji." Ichigo said, patting the grass he was sitting on to indicate to his friends that he wanted them to sit, which they did so. "I am indeed leaving the Academy, but I'm not being expelled… I'm graduating." He said, causing Momo and Renji to look at him, shock written all over their faces.

"Y-You're… Graduating?! What? How?" Momo said, trying to process what she had heard.

"Alright, let me start from the top, so you get a good idea of everything that happened…" Ichigo said, as he began to tell Momo and Renji everything that happened after the incident in the World of the Living.

* * *

"See? Who do I need to see, Captain Aizen?" Ichigo asked, sealing his Zanpakutō and sheathing it. At this question, Aizen turned around and looked at Ichigo.

"The Head Captain." He said as he entered the Senkaimon, closely followed by Ichigo.

Ichigo couldn't process what was happening. Did he do something wrong? He must have, if Captain Aizen was taking him to the Head Captain. His mind was going a mile a minute that he didn't even realise that they had passed through the Senkaimon and had entered the Soul Society.

He wanted to ask the Squad Five Captain what he had done to warrant a meeting with the most powerful Soul Reaper in existence, but he couldn't bring himself to talk. He was full of worry and no matter what he thought; he couldn't push out the thoughts that he had done something wrong.

"We've arrived, Ichigo." Captain Aizen said, bringing the orange haired teen out of his thoughts and he took in his surroundings.

He was in a large corridor that had polished wooden floors and plain white walls. He was surprised by how bright and clean it was. He continued to follow Aizen as they walked down the corridor until they were stopped by a Soul Reaper with silver hair and a handlebar moustache.

"Captain Aizen? You've returned. I guess that means everything in the World of the Living has been taken care of?" He asked as Aizen approached him.

"Yes, Captain Ichimaru has remained behind while he awaits Medical Assistance from Squad Four. Forgive me, Lieutenant Sasakibe, but I must speak with the Head Captain immediately, and give him my report of the incident. Is he in?" Aizen asked, pointing to the door to the Head Captain's office.

"Yes, I'll let him know you've arrived to deliver your report… And that you've brought a guest." Lieutenant Sasakibe said, looking at Ichigo, who gulped.

The Lieutenant opened one of the large doors and slipped inside the office. A moment later, he came back out and looked at Captain Aizen.

"The Head Captain is waiting for you both inside." He said, directing them to the door. Before they entered, Captain Aizen turned to Ichigo.

"Don't worry, Ichigo, you've done nothing wrong. I just want you to tell the Head Captain what happened before I arrived on the scene, so he has a full understanding of the situation." Aizen said, giving Ichigo a warm, reassuring smile.

Ichigo simply nodded and followed Captain Aizen into the office of the Head Captain. He entered a large, open-plan office that opened out onto a large balcony that gave wide, sweeping views of the Seireitei. To his right, near the head of the office was a large wooden desk and sat behind the desk was none other than the Head Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. However, it was the man next to the Head Captain that confused Ichigo. It was Lead Instructor Ōnabara of the Academy. What was he doing here?

"Greetings to you, Head Captain Yamamoto. Lead Instructor Ōnabara." Captain Aizen said, bowing to the two men.

"Captain Aizen, I see you have returned from the World of the Living. And you have brought a guest." The Head Captain said, his voice ringing out around the room.

"Yes, Head Captain. As you are already aware, this is Ichigo Kurosaki. I have brought him here with me as he has information I think you need to hear." Captain Aizen said, causing the ancient Soul Reaper to look at Ichigo, examining the young man before him.

"Very well. What information does he have that is so important you felt the need to request this meeting with myself and Lead Instructor Ōnabara?" The Head Captain asked, looking from Ichigo and back to the Squad Five Captain.

"Well, from what I have been told, he single-handedly defeated one of the Hollows." Captain Aizen explained. This certainly got the attention of the Head Captain.

"You mean to tell me one of my students was able to defeat a Hollow by himself?!" Ōnabara yelled, readjusting his glasses to get a better look at Ichigo.

"That is what he told me, and I'm sure Shūhei and Kanisawa can both confirm this." Captain Aizen stated.

"I'll be sure to have Lieutenant Sasakibe gather their statements, just as soon as Captain Unohana has finished with them." The Head Captain said. "Until then, Ichigo Kurosaki, I wish to hear what happened in the World of the Living, from the time you spotted the Hollow until Captains Aizen and Ichimaru arrived." He continued, looking at Ichigo.

"Well Head Captain, sir, as you know, we were in the World of the Living on an exercise. After a while, my Zanpakutō spirit told me he could sense something was coming. I couldn't feel anything, but I remained on my guard. Shortly after, this massive Hollow appeared out of nowhere and attacked. In an attempt to protect my friends, I attacked it, but I couldn't cut it. The Hollow proceeded to swat me away and I was knocked into a wall and lost consciousness." Ichigo said, looking at the Head Captain, who was nodding his head.

"Continue, child." He said, beckoning Ichigo to carry on his recollection of the event.

"Right, well I ended up in my inner world where Zangetsu told me it was some kind of Hollow known as an Adjuchas… Whatever that is." Ichigo said, causing the Head Captain to open his eyes in shock.

"An Adjuchas?! Is this true, Captain Aizen?" The Head Captain asked, looking at the bespectacled Captain.

"I believe it was an Adjuchas, yes. Based on its spiritual pressure, however, it was very close to evolving into a Vasto Lorde." Aizen commented, shifting his glasses with his left hand.

"Unbelievable! Do continue, Ichigo." Ōnabara encouraged.

"Ok… After I was told it was an Adjuchas, I was taught an ability that helped me defeat it." Ichigo said.

"The Getsuga Tenshō, correct?" The Head Captain asked.

"Yeah… How did you know?" Ichigo asked.

"It would appear the claims about you being the son of Isshin Shiba are not unfounded. In all my years as the Head Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, only he has been able to use such a technique." The Head Captain explained.

"I see… Well, after I regained consciousness, I found Momo and Renji were gone. Fearing the worst, I went looking for the Hollow, which wasn't hard to find, considering it was taller than the buildings in the area. When I arrived at where it was, I saw there were two more. The one that had attacked me had also attacked Shūhei and was about to devour Kanisawa, so I did what anyone would have done in my situation; I tried to save them. I ran at the Hollow, discharged my Getsuga Tenshō and killed it. I caught Kanisawa as she fell to the ground and was about to engage the other two Hollows in combat, but Captain Aizen and Captain Ichimaru arrived and killed them." Ichigo summed up, resulting in the room going incredibly silent.

Ōnabara was looking at Ichigo, his jaw hanging open in shock. Captain Aizen had a look on his face that showed he was greatly impressed and the Head Captain sat behind his desk, taking everything in. After a moment, he stood up and looked at Ichigo.

"Thank you for your report. I shall send Lieutenant Sasakibe to collect the statements of Shūhei Hisagi and his friend, Kanisawa. In the meantime, Ichigo Kurosaki, might I ask you to step outside. I wish to discuss a private matter with Captain Aizen and Lead Instructor Ōnabara." The Head Captain said, to which Ichigo simply bowed and stepped outside. He noticed Lieutenant Sasakibe was no longer standing guard outside the office and simply assumed he had something important to do.

Ichigo had been sat outside the Head Captain's office for about an hour before Lieutenant Sasakibe returned. When he saw Ichigo, he smiled at the young man and nodded his head in approval. Ichigo wasn't really sure why he did so, but didn't dwell on it. The Lieutenant entered the Head Captain's office after knocking and closed the door.

Ten minutes after Lieutenant Sasakibe had returned, the door to the office opened once more, and the Lieutenant emerged beckoning Ichigo to stand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ichigo; the Head Captain wishes to speak with you again." He said, motioning Ichigo through the door.

As Ichigo entered the office once more, he found the Head Captain behind his desk, flanked by both Captain Aizen and Lead Instructor Ōnabara.

"I'm sure you're wondering why you're here again, Ichigo." The Head Captain began.

"Yeah, the thought had crossed my mind. I mean, no disrespect, but I thought I was here simply to tell you what happened before Captain Aizen arrived. At least, that's what he told me." Ichigo said.

"Yes, that was the original point of this meeting, but after what you told us here, we believed it was prudent to discuss your future as a Soul Reaper…" The Head Captain responded.

"M-My future as a S-Soul Reaper?" Ichigo asked, feeling a knot begin to form in his stomach. He began to think that Captain Aizen had been wrong and that he was going to be expelled from the Academy.

"Both Lead Instructor Ōnabara and Captain Aizen have agreed that your actions during the attack were not only impressive, but heroic. Not only did you defeat an Adjuchas Class Hollow with a single attack, you also managed to save the lives of your fellow students, Shūhei, Kanisawa, and many more. It is because of this, and your incredible progress in the Academy, that we have all reached the agreement that you will be allowed to graduate from the Soul Reaper Academy at the end of the academic year." The Head Captain announced.

Ichigo's jaw almost hit the floor at hearing this news. He was trying so hard to process what was happening, that he simply just stood there, mouth agape, staring at the three men in front of him.

"Is everything alright Ichigo?" Aizen asked, breaking Ichigo out of his stupor.

"Huh, what? No, I mean, yes! I-I had no idea this was coming. I thought I was going to be expelled or something." Ichigo stated, scratching the back of his head.

"Why would you think that? You showed bravery and valour while in combat, among other things. It is things like that which we look for in potential recruits." Aizen commented, causing the Head Captain to nod.

"Indeed. Now, once you graduate, you'll be allowed to put in an application to join the Thirteen Court Guard Squad, and after that, should your application be successful, you'll be able to join a squad of your choice. Keep in mind, however, that while you can request to join a squad, it is ultimately down to the Captain of that squad to accept you or not." The Head Captain explained.

"Yes, but I don't think that'll be an issue. I'm sure most of the Captains would be honoured if you were to join their Squads; myself included." Aizen said with a smile.

"Captain Aizen, need I remind you it is frowned upon to try an coerce students into joining a specific squad? We must allow them to decide for themselves." The Head Captain said, turning to look at the shaggy haired Captain.

"Of course. My apologies, Head Captain." Aizen said, bowing.

"Now, unless you have any questions, you're dismissed. You have a very important decision to make. I would advise you to not make this decision lightly." The Head Captain said, turning back to Ichigo.

"Yes, sir… I have no more questions." Ichigo said in monotone as he bowed to the three men and was escorted out of the office by Lieutenant Sasakibe, all the while trying to process what had just transpired.

* * *

"Wow… That's incredible, Ichigo. Nice one!" Renji said, punching his friend in the arm and grinning at him.

"Aaah! I'm so proud of you, Ichigo!" Momo said, jumping on Ichigo and hugging him and giving him a kiss.

"Yeah, me too. I know Izuru will be just as proud of you. That's just… Wow!" Renji said, clearly excited for Ichigo.

"Wait, isn't the end of the academic year in a couple weeks?" Momo asked, looking from Ichigo to Renji.

"Yeah, I think so. That means you've got a decision to make, pal." Renji said.

"Oh, that's right! Which Squad are you going to join, Ichigo?" Momo questioned.

"I really don't know, and it's not like I can ask Kaien or Captain Unohana for advice, as apparently it's frowned upon for people to coerce students into joining Squads." Ichigo said.

"Well, that's stupid. How else are you going to get advice on which squad is right for you?" Renji asked.

"You could always do the 'Personality Test' in the Seireitei Bulletin. That could be a good place to start." Momo suggested.

"The what? 'Personality Test'? Don't tell me you believe in that kind of crap, Momo." Renji said, shaking his head.

"Hey! It's not crap, it's actually really cool. I did it with Izuru. It said I would be well suited for Squad Five and Izuru for Squad Four." Momo said, smiling.

"Izuru in Squad Four? Huh, yeah, I can see that. He good at Kidō but a bit of a pussy when it comes to combat." Renji said with a laugh.

"Shut up, Renji! Being in Squad Four doesn't make you weak, it's a good squad for people who are good at Kidō and people that want to help others without using violence." Momo said, glaring at Renji.

"'Personality Test', huh? Alright, Momo… I guess I could give that a try." Ichigo said with a smile.

"Awesome! I have the latest copy of the Seireitei Bulletin in my room! C'mon you guys!" She said as she stood up and ushered Renji and Ichigo to her room to find the magazine in question.

* * *

"Huh… Well, that's interesting…" Ichigo said, putting down the magazine.

He had spent the past forty-five minutes filling out the personality test in Momo's magazine and his results were unexpected.

"What's interesting?" Momo asked as she went over to her desk where Ichigo was sat.

"It says here I'm best suited for either Squad Five, Seven or Eleven." Ichigo said, scratching his head.

"What? How? Let me see that!" Momo said, grabbing the magazine and reading over Ichigo's answers. "How did you get three possible answers? This is meant to give one… I think you broke it." She said, giggling as Ichigo grumbled.

"Well, at least I have three choices now, and since Kaien or Captain Unohana aren't in any of these Squads, I should be able to ask them for advice on which squad to join, right?" Ichigo said, receiving a nod from Momo.

"I see what you're getting at. It might be frowned upon for Soul Reapers to convince us students to join their Squads, but if you're not looking to join their Squad, then they should be able to offer you advice on which Squad is best." Momo explained.

"No! I don't want your stupid fish! Leave me alone!" Renji shouted, causing Momo and Ichigo to look over and see what caused Renji's weird outburst. Of course, he'd fallen asleep on Momo's bed.

"Ugh… I'll be right back." Momo sighed, going into her bathroom and turning the tap on.

She came back in with a large bowl full of water. Shaking her head, she looked at the sleeping red head.

"Well, my sheets _did_ need to be washed, I guess." She sighed as she dumped the bowl of water all over Renji, who woke up with a loud yell and fell of the bed, landing face first on the floor.

"Ow! What the hell did you do that for? That water was so cold!" Renji shouted, as he tried to shake the cold water off him like a dog would.

"You were sleeping on my bed. No-one is allowed to sleep on my bed except for me and Ichigo." She said darkly, glaring at the sodden red head on the floor.

"Oh, c'mon! It's just a bed! More to the point, why did you use – Wait… You and Ichigo? Are you telling me you guys…? Y'know…" Renji said, pointing at his two friends; his eyes widened as he connected the dots.

"Well, yeah… We've been together for almost a year, you know." Momo said, as if it was no big deal.

"Ok, yeah… But how long has it been happening for?" Renji asked, raising an eyebrow, only to be hit in the face by the magazine, courtesy of Ichigo.

"Why the hell are you asking about our sex life, you goddamn pervert?!" Ichigo growled, balling his hand into a fist.

"Can't a friend be curious about what his friends do in their spare time?" Renji asked, rubbing his face where the magazine had smacked him.

"Not when it's about sex, you creep!" Momo yelled.

"Ok, that sounded a lot better in my head… Ok, that also sounded better in my head… I'm just going talking now…" Renji said as he shut his mouth.

"Smartest decision you've made all night…" Ichigo said as he turned back to the desk and wrote down the answers to his test on a piece of paper. "So… Squad Five, Seven or Eleven… Alright, looks like I'll be paying Kaien and Captain Unohana a visit tomorrow." Ichigo said as he stood up. He gave Momo a hug and a kiss goodnight before dragging Renji out of her room. "C'mon, you dirty pervert. Let Momo get some sleep."

* * *

The following morning, Ichigo found himself in the Squad Four Captain's office. It had been a quiet morning, which meant Captain Unohana was able to sit down and chat with Ichigo.

"Good morning, Ichigo. Before you begin, I would like to congratulate you for your actions in the World of the Living and for graduating the Soul Reaper Academy. Not only have you done yourself proud, but you've also done your family proud; Shiba and Kurosaki alike." Unohana smiled as she handed Ichigo a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Captain Unohana. That's actually what I came here to talk to you about; I was hoping you could give me some insight as to which Squad I should apply to after I graduate." Ichigo said, as Unohana took her seat.

"I see… Well, I know where _I_ would like you to be placed, but that decision isn't mine and Captains are not allowed to compel Academy Students to join their Squads." Unohana stated as she sipped on her tea.

"Yeah, I know. This might sound stupid, but I was able to narrow my choice down to three Squads by doing this 'Personality Test' in Momo's copy of the Seireitei Bulletin. It says Squads Five, Seven or Eleven would be best for me." Ichigo said, as he rubbed the back of his head, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Now, Ichigo, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'll have you know that Isane joined my Squad by doing the exact same thing. Her sister, Kiyone, joined Squad Thirteen because of the answer she got from said 'Personality Test' and look at how they turned out; Isane is a caring, compassionate girl, who has a heart of gold and ended up becoming my Lieutenant. Kiyone, on the other hand showed great admiration to Captain Ukitake and idolises him. She is the Fourth Seat of Squad Thirteen. As you can see; both took that test and both are highly respected, highly skilled Seated Officers." Unohana said, trying to reassure Ichigo.

"Wow, that's incredible. Isane is related to Kiyone? They're like the total opposite." Ichigo said, lying back in his chair.

"It's surprising I know, but it's true. Now, which Squads did you say you were best suited for?" Unohana asked, smiling at Ichigo's previous remark.

"Five, Seven and Eleven." Ichigo repeated.

"I would recommend Squad Five." Unohana said without hesitation, surprising Ichigo.

"Wow, ok. Might I ask why?" Ichigo asked.

"Simply because Captain Aizen is a kind, compassionate man, who cared for his subordinates." Unohana stated simply. "That isn't to say Captain Komamura isn't like Captain Aizen, it's just if you manage to offend or anger him, and it takes him a long time to get over it, which can strain the relationship between Captain and subordinate. I don't know Lieutenant Iba has lasted as long as he has; he's always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. I suppose his heart is in the right place, which might explain why his Captain is quick to forgive him." Unohana said, more to herself that Ichigo.

"Alright, but what about Squad Eleven?" Ichigo queried.

"Surely you don't need me to answer that for you?" Unohana said, raising an eyebrow as she drank more of her tea.

"Well, I don't see why not? Squad Eleven is combat-oriented, which means I'd learn a lot from serving in there, wouldn't I?" Ichigo countered, as Unohana put her cup down.

"If it was under any other Captain, then yes. Captain Zaraki, on the other hand… Well, let's just say all he cares about is power and spilling blood. If someone is weak, then he's not interested. Besides, you've seen the condition some of his subordinates are in when they get admitted to Squad Four; most injuries are caused by him, and I don't want to see your promising future as a Soul Reaper cut short by that madman." Unohana said, not realising she was glaring daggers as she finished her tea and her sentence.

"Umm… C-Captain? Is everything o-ok?" Ichigo said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Let me show you something, Ichigo." Unohana said as she began to tug at the ties that held her hair together in a braid. As it unravelled she parted her hair to reveal a large, ugly scar on her chest, several inches below her throat.

"What the…?" Ichigo gasped, looking at the pained, almost angry look in the Squad Four Captain's eyes.

"This is what Captain Zaraki did to me the first time we met many, many years ago. I have been left with a constant reminder of our very first battle and every time I see him, or I hear him speak, this wound burns. While I respect Captain Zaraki as much as the other Captains, I also loathe him more than anyone else in the Soul Society and beyond." Unohana half growled.

"I-I'm sorry, Captain. I had no idea there was such a violent history between the two of you." Ichigo said.

"Don't apologise, Ichigo. It's not your fault. I just wanted you to see first-hand what he's capable of. I don't want something similar to happen to you… Or worse." She said softly, as she sat down and began to tie her hair up into a braid again.

"I believe you have made my decision easier, Captain. Thank you." Ichigo said as he stood up, bowed and left Unohana's office.

Unohana simply sighed as she finished tying her hair up and went back to work.

* * *

"Hey, Ichigo! Long-time no see, kid! How are you?" Kaien asked as he greeted his cousin.

"Hey, Kaien. I've been good. How are you and Miyako?" Ichigo replied, shaking the Lieutenant's hand before he was pulled into a quick embrace.

"I'm buried in paperwork, as usual, and Miyako is doing well. While I'm stuck in here doing all the Squad's paperwork, she's basically running the show." Kaien said with a laugh. "So, I heard about the incident in the World of the Living; you did a hell of a job, kid. Both Miyako and I are proud of you, and I know Isshin would be too."

"Thanks, Kaien. That means a lot. Actually, that's why I've come to see you. I need your advice on something." Ichigo said as the two Shiba men sat down in the Lieutenant's office.

"You want advice on which Squad you want to join, huh?" Kaien said, causing Ichigo to look surprised.

"How did you know?" Ichigo asked.

"C'mon, Ichigo, it doesn't take a genius to know that picking a Squad isn't something to be taken lightly. When you join a Squad, your life is in the hands of your comrades, much like the lives of those men are in your hands too; Captain or not. You need to be totally sure that the Squad is right for you, otherwise you won't be able to find that synergy, which is vital for any Squad." Kaien explained, causing Ichigo to nod his head.

"Yeah… I've already spoken to Captain Unohana and she suggested I join Squad Five. I was wondering if you had any advice for me on the matter?" Ichigo asked.

"Squad Five, huh? Yeah, I think you'll fit in well there. Captain Aizen is a good man; understands honour, loyalty, fairness and holds all his subordinates as equals and takes good care of them. He's a lot like you, in that regard, to be fair." Kaien said.

"I see… Tell me, Kaien, you have all this knowledge and wisdom; why don't you become a Captain?" Ichigo said, looking at the Lieutenant.

"Are you kidding? Do you know how much paperwork I have to do as a Lieutenant? Being a Captain would ultimately triple that workload. Besides, the only vacant Captain's Seat is Isshin's in Squad Ten. Isshin was a far greater Soul Reaper than I'll ever be, and his Lieutenant is perhaps _the laziest_ Officer in the Soul Society. Yeah, she's easy on the eyes, but using those looks to get others to do her paperwork? I don't even know why Isshin made her his Lieutenant… He and Captain Unohana had been seeing each other for years prior to that. It certainly was a mystery." Kaien mused, scratching his chin.

"Not really; Dad has always been a mystery… Plus you know how incredibly weird he is anyway. Whatever his reasons, I'm sure only he could understand them." Ichigo said, causing Kaien to smirk.

"Yeah, you're right. The funny thing was the pair of them were as lazy as each other. He would pile all his paperwork onto her, and she'd get mad at him and pile it all on to their Third Seat. It's not surprising that he requested to move to another Squad." Kaien smirked.

"Wow, that's pretty bad. Must've been hard on the guy. Can't blame him for changing Squads. I don't think I could survive if I was doing all the paperwork for a single Squad." Ichigo said, shaking his head at his Dad's work ethic.

"Oh, it certainly was. But, that was more than twenty years ago. I'm settled here in Squad Thirteen and Captain Ukitake is a good man, and an even better Captain." Kaien grinned as Ichigo put the pieces together.

"Wait, _you_ were Dad's Third Seat?! Well, I can understand why you hate paperwork so much now, but I'm curious; why didn't he make you his Lieutenant?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, something about him not wanting to play favourites or make it seem like he was giving me special treatment because we're family. Plus, I was young and had only been out of the Academy for a short while." Kaien said shrugging.

"Oh, right…" Ichigo said, as the two men sat in silence for a few moments. "So, you think I should join Squad Five? I've met Captain Aizen already, and he definitely seems like a decent guy." Ichigo asked Kaien, as if to confirm what he said earlier.

"Yeah, I think it'd be good for you. From what I've heard from Captain Ukitake, he seems very interested in helping you nurture and enhance your skills and talents. I think serving under him would be beneficial to both you and the Soul Society as a whole." Kaien said, nodding.

"Alright, well, it looks like my decision has been made. Thanks, Kaien." Ichigo said as he stood up and bowed to Kaien before leaving his office.

* * *

After his meeting with Kaien and Captain Unohana, Ichigo had decided that Squad Five was the right option for him. After already meeting Captain Aizen and having both a Captain and a Lieutenant speak very highly of the man, Ichigo felt that no other Squad would have been better.

The final week of the academic year had passed and along with it, Ichigo had graduated from the Soul Reaper Academy after just a single year. His grades in all classes were exceptional, being in the Top Three in every class he took, he showed that he had innate knowledge in all the arts of the Soul Reaper, and were it not for the Hollow attack in the World of the Living, his instructors would have all agreed he would have been more than capable of graduating after his second year at the Academy.

There were many people who were surprised at Ichigo's graduating of the Academy, but there was one who wasn't at all surprised; Shūhei Hisagi.

"Well, well, well… Look at you; graduated the Academy after a single year. But don't think you're something special. I'll always be here to kick your ass if you're ever feeling up to it." Shūhei remarked as he greeted Ichigo, a slight grin on his face.

"You kick my ass?" Ichigo said, pointing to the black haired boy before him. "I think the Soul Society has a better chance of being levelled by an invasion than that eventuality ever occurring." Ichigo replied with a smirk.

"Ha-ha; very funny." Shūhei said sarcastically. "Listen, Ichigo… I never got the chance to thank you for what you did for Kanisawa in the World of the Living, and to apologise."

"Apologise? What for?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow at Shūhei.

"Y'know… For being such a dick to you this past year. It was not right and I am sorry." Shūhei said, bowing his head in apology.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I dealt with worse people when I was at school when I was alive. Though, they never wanted to fight me to the death." Ichigo said, causing the pair of them to laugh slightly.

"Well look, if it's all the same to you, I hope we can move past whatever differences we had. We're Soul Reapers now, and even if we aren't in the same Squad, we're still comrades and brothers-in-arms." Shūhei said.

"Of course. It'll be good to have a friend within the Court Guard. You've already been given a Seated Officer's position with Captain Tōsen in Squad Nine, huh?" Ichigo asked, causing Shūhei to nod.

"Yeah, I'm his Tenth Seat. It's pretty high up, and if I'm honest, I was expecting to be given something like Fifteenth Seat or lower; certainly not Tenth." Shūhei said, scratching the back of his head. "That reminds me; which Squad are you joining?"

"Squad Five, under Captain Aizen. It was a tough choice to make, but after my interactions with him, and the advice of some friends, I decided Squad Five was right for me." Ichigo said with a smile.

"Huh, you must've disappointed several other Captains, as I've heard that you were quite the wanted man for many Squads. I know for a fact that Captains Unohana, Kuchiki, Tōsen and Ukitake were also keen on having you in their Squads. I can guarantee Captain Zaraki will be pissed. He loves new recruits who know how to fight. I think Captain Kyōraku would have practically begged you to join Squad Eight, if you were a girl." Shūhei and Ichigo both laughed at that thought. Everyone in the Soul Society knew Captain Kyōraku was a 'ladies' man', and a bit of a pervert. "I'm glad you think Squad Five was the best choice for you though. Who knows, maybe we'll end up going on missions together in the World of the Living. I hope you can follow orders, because we both know I'll be the one in charge." Shūhei grinned at the orange haired teen.

"Yeah, yeah… Whatever you say, Tenth Seat Hisagi." Ichigo replied, dramatically bowing to his new friend.

"Very funny. Hey, Ichigo, there was something else I wanted to ask you." Shūhei began, before Ichigo was ambushed by a very familiar person.

"Ichigo!" Momo yelled out as she leapt onto Ichigo's back and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck. "I can't believe it; you're finally a Soul Reaper! I'm so happy for you. Of course, it's going to be boring without you at the Academy, but Renji, Izuru and I will be Soul Reapers soon, just you wait!" She said with determination.

"I have no doubt about that… Well, maybe Renji, but you and Izuru I have no doubts about." Ichigo said with a chuckle.

"Hey! I resent that!" A familiar voice yelled, causing Ichigo to turn and see Renji making his way over, with Izuru next to him. Izuru had a bandage around his head and was using Renji as a human crutch.

"Hey you two! It's good to see you Izuru!" Ichigo called out, but quickly turned back to Shūhei. "Oh, sorry about that. What did you want to ask me?"

"Oh, don't worry about it; it can wait for another time. I'll let you go. I'll see you around, friend." Shūhei said as he turned and walked away, waving to Ichigo as he went.

Shūhei had been curious about what he had seen in the World of the Living. He was certain one of Ichigo's eyes had turned yellow. However, he never mentioned it in his statement that he made to Lieutenant Sasakibe after it had happened. He wanted to ask Ichigo about it first, as he wasn't sure if he was imagining it, due to being in shock and having one of his eyes blinded with blood after the Hollow had slashed him.

He carefully put a shaky hand up to his left eye and cheek. He could feel the three claw marks that were there from the attack. He knew they were going to scar, as Captain Unohana had told him that was the most likely scenario. Taking a deep breath, he removed his hand from his face and continued walking.

"So, Captain Unohana has released you from the infirmary, huh?" Ichigo asked Izuru.

"Yes and no. She released me for the day so I could come see you graduate, but I need an escort at all times and I have to be back tonight." Izuru said with a smile.

"Yeah, that's the kind of woman Captain Unohana is. She's very accommodating with her patients, but make sure you don't push that kindness. She can be a frightening person when she needs to be." Ichigo said in a serious manner.

"I'll, uh, keep that in mind." Izuru gulped. He had heard stories of the Squad Four Captain being a terrifying individual when people disrespect her or her subordinates, and Izuru wasn't about to find out if said stories were indeed true or not.

"So, how does it feel to be a big-shot Soul Reaper, huh?" Renji asked with a smirk.

"I don't know, how about you tell me in five years… If you actually graduate." Ichigo replied with a grin of his own.

"Why you…!" Renji began, before being silenced by Izuru.

"C'mon, Renji… You deserved that. Don't think we haven't noticed you sleeping in class." Izuru commented.

"I do no such thing! I'm just simply resting my eyes from all the studying I do." Renji said defiantly.

"Yeah, 'studying'. Just _what_ do you 'study', Renji? 'How to be a pervert', because I know you aren't getting any better at Kidō." Momo replied. It was obvious she was still annoyed at Renji and the comments he made the week prior.

"Aw, c'mon Momo! I said I was sorry! What more do you want?" Renji asked, sighing with exhaustion. For the past week, Renji had been apologising up and down to Ichigo and Momo. While Ichigo had quickly forgiven the red head, mainly to shut him up, Momo wasn't so quick to forget.

"Maybe if you stop being a pervert and you become more proficient at Kidō, I'll forgive you." Momo said.

"Alright, fine. I'll prove to you that I'm no pervert. I'll show you how good I can become at Kidō. Just watch!" Renji said with determination.

"Uh-huh…" Momo said, rolling her eyes.

"Knock it off, you guys. We're here to celebrate Ichigo's graduation, not have you two bicker like children over their toys." Izuru chided, causing both Renji and Momo to sigh and nod their heads.

"Thanks, Izuru. Even with your concussion, you're still the most level-headed person here. I'm impressed." Ichigo said, inciting laughter from Izuru.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Izuru replied with a smile. "So, Squad Five, huh? Well, looks like I know which Squad I'm joining when I graduate."

"Me too! I always wanted to join Squad Five. Captain Aizen seems like such an amazing person! I can't wait until I graduate!" Momo said with excitement.

"Eh, I don't know… I've never met this Captain Aizen. I'd rather join a Squad where the Captain is cool and I like them." Renji said, shrugging.

"I suppose that's a fair point, but we could all be in the same Squad, Renji. Does such a thought not appeal to you?" Izuru asked.

"Well, sure… But I just think it's better if we also like the Captain too." Renji replied.

"That's very insightful of you, Renji… Maybe you're not a total idiot after all." Momo said with a giggle, causing Renji to scowl and mutter incomprehensibly.

* * *

It had been several days since the Graduation Ceremony and Ichigo, along with all the other graduating students would now be joining their new Squads as fully fledged Soul Reapers. Before the Captains were scheduled to meet their new recruits, Gin and Aizen were discussing the recent turn of events and next steps for their plans.

"So, Ichigo has decided to join Squad Five? What are your plans now, Captain Aizen?" Gin asked.

"For now, I'll let him settle in and get comfortable. I want to see how he handles day-to-day life as a Soul Reaper before I do anything else. However, I have several plans for him in the future." Aizen responded with a thin smile.

"Huh, I see. What do these plans of yours involve?" Gin pressed the Squad Five Captain.

"Well, since Kaname was the one who organised everything last time, I think you deserve to set-up this particular plan." Aizen responded, turning to look at Gin.

"Really? Moi? Captain Aizen, you flatter me. I hope I can exceed your expectations of me." Gin said rather dramatically.

"If you feel you're not up to the task, I can simply have Kaname do this job instead." Aizen replied; a sly smile formed on his face when he saw Gin's face become shocked.

"Oh, no, no, no, no! Don't be silly, Captain Aizen! I can do this! Just tell me what I need to do!" Gin said trying to show his former Captain he was more than capable of performing this duty.

"Very good… In the future, I'm going to want to try and force out Ichigo's inner Hollow and subjugate it, in hopes that it'll be easier to coerce him into joining us. The only problem is I cannot risk killing him in the process. It would be considerably easier if I could bring it out in the same manner that I did with Captain Hirako and the others, but since Kisuke Urahara was convicted of those crimes, I'll need another, far less risky way to do it." Aizen explained.

"Alright, so where do I come in?" Gin asked.

"Patience, Gin… You'll find out the rest in due course. For now, just remember that how you handle this task will make all the difference. When the time is right, it'll be your decisions that will ultimately decide how this all unfolds." Aizen said cryptically.

"Okaaaaay?" Gin said, sounding rather confused, resulting in Aizen letting out a humourless chuckle.

"In the meantime, I think we should start keeping a closer eye on Ichigo's friends. If we cannot control him through his Hollow, then they should prove to be excellent leverage. It would also appear that Ichigo and Shūhei are now friends, if what I saw at the ceremony was anything to go by. Kaname will be able to keep an eye on him, so that works out quite nicely." Aizen said as he stood up and began to make his way out of the hideout.

"Where are you going, Captain Aizen?" Gin asked.

"To welcome Ichigo to his new home." Aizen replied without looking back.

"Oh, is it that time already? Goodness, where _has_ the day gone?" Gin said rhetorically, looking at an invisible wristwatch before also leaving to meet his new subordinates.

* * *

"Greetings, everyone; my name is Sōsuke Aizen, and I am your Captain." Aizen said, greeting his new subordinates with a warm, welcoming smile. "I am so very pleased that you all decided to join Squad Five. As Captain, it is my duty to guide you to be the best you can be, while promoting friendship and companionship within the Squad. Treat each other with respect, courtesy and good manners, for they hold your life in your hands, as you do with theirs. If you have any questions, queries or issues, do not hesitate to come see me. My door is open to you all, whenever you need advice or guidance." Aizen finished, and one of his new subordinates raised a hand.

"Excuse me, Captain, but where's the Lieutenant? Isn't it customary for both the Captain and Lieutenant to be present for these things?" He asked.

"You're absolutely right; a Captain and Lieutenant should be here to greet new Soul Reapers. The only problem is that the Lieutenant's Seat for Squad Five is currently vacant, ever since Gin Ichimaru was promoted to Captain of Squad Three. Since then, I haven't been able to find a suitable replacement. Perhaps, with hard work and due diligence, one of you in this very group will be my next Lieutenant." Aizen said with a smile, causing the group to chatter excitedly amongst themselves.

Before Aizen had a chance to talk again, a Hell Butterfly fluttered into the Squad Five Barracks. Holding out a finger, Captain Aizen read the silent message.

"Oh, this is most troublesome. I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid I must step out for a while. It appears there's a Hollow attack in part of the Rukon District that is under Squad Five's jurisdiction. I must go deal with this immediately." He explained as the Hell Butterfly flew off back to where it came from. As Aizen was on his way out, he stopped and turned around. "Ichigo, I was hoping you would accompany me? I know you've had first-hand experience with fighting Hollows, and I would very much like to see you in action myself."

"Of course, Captain Aizen. Lead the way." Ichigo said stepping out of the group of new recruits and joining Captain Aizen by his side.

"We'll be back as soon as we're finished in the Rukon. Take this time to accustom yourself with the Squad Five grounds and your living quarters." Aizen said before he and Ichigo disappeared with Flash Step.

"So, what's the situation, Captain?" Ichigo asked as they were making their way to the attack site.

"According to the report, there's a small detachment of mid-level Hollows attacking the Rukon. No more than five, but I think you and I can handle them ourselves. When we arrive, I want you to assess the situation and act accordingly. I'll provide support if needed." Aizen said with a reassuring smile as the two continued to travel to the Rukon District which was currently under attack.

Ichigo and Aizen arrived on the scene relatively quickly and Ichigo began to take in everything that was happening. To his left, he saw a pair of Hollows smashing down a small shack. Ichigo noted there was no-one inside, meaning they weren't an immediate threat, so long as no-one got their attention.

In front of him, a large ram-like Hollow was charging after a small boy, intent on skewering him on the ends of his needle-point horns. Ichigo knew that Hollow was the imminent threat, so he charged in, ready to defend the boy, who had tripped over and was likely going to die if Ichigo did nothing.

"Disrupt; Zangetsu!" He shouted, releasing his Zanpakutō in an explosion of blue spirit energy.

The explosion created a make-shift barrier that obscured the Hollow's vision, but it didn't slow down. As it entered the area engulfed with spirit energy, it came to an abrupt halt. Confused, it let out a loud roar and tried moving, but to no avail.

When the spirit energy dissipated, the Hollow soon found out why it could no longer move. It was being blocked by Ichigo, its horns had collided with his Zanpakutō and it could no longer move.

"Go on, kid! Get out of here!" Ichigo grunted, trying his best to keep the Hollow at bay. The child, however, just sat on the ground in shock at what he was seeing. "Didn't you hear me? Get out of here!" Ichigo yelled.

The child was unresponsive, he was too focussed on the Hollow that had been chasing him and was too frightened to move. He just sat on the ground, petrified by the fact he had almost died.

"Dammit! Captain!" Ichigo shouted, getting Aizen's attention, who was watching with a keen eye. "Captain, can you get this kid to safety? I don't know how much longer I can hold this thing back!" Ichigo yelled, the Hollow starting to gain traction and push Ichigo back, even with his feet dug into the earth.

In an instant, Aizen used Flash Step to appear at the boy's side, picked him up and took him to safety with another Flash Step. When he returned a few moments later, he signalled to Ichigo that the area was clear by nodding his head.

"Hadō Number Four; Byakurai!" Ichigo shouted, unleashing a strong jolt of lightning from his hands, using the metal Zanpakutō as a conductor, ultimately amplifying the attack. The Kidō shot through the sword and into the Hollow by way of its horns.

The Hollow let out a loud, pained roar as it broke free from Ichigo's Zanpakutō and shook the electrical shock out of its body. It wasn't enough to seriously harm the beast, but that wasn't what Ichigo had intended.

Taking an attacking stance, Ichigo leapt into the air and cleaved the Hollow's head clean off. The head parted from the body and before it hit the floor, it broke down into spirit particles, along with the rest of the body.

At seeing their companion perish, the other two Hollows stopped destroying building and began to run at Ichigo, seeking vengeance, or perhaps even lunch.

Ichigo wasn't about to give them the time of day, however, and swung his sword around horizontally, discharging a wave of condensed spirit energy.

"Getsuga Tenshō!" He roared as he fired the attack off, bifurcating the two Hollows at the waist. The bodies began to turn into spirit particles as Ichigo began looking around.

He had just defeated three Hollows with relative ease; the report Captain Aizen had given him stated that there should be two more left. Not being able to see any imminent threats, he took a neutral stance, stuck his blade in the ground and began to focus, hoping to find the spiritual pressure of the remaining Hollows.

High in the air, way out of range of Ichigo, a pterodactyl-like Hollow had been surveying the area below, watching as an orange haired Soul Reaper had killed three of its friends and was now standing there, unmoving.

The Hollow took this opportunity to swoop down and dive-bomb Ichigo, hoping to kill him in a Kamikaze attack. As it rushed closer and closer, it tucked its wings in and began picking up speed, reaching terminal velocity in a matter of seconds.

"Hadō Number Sixty-Three; Raikōhō!" Ichigo yelled, firing a blast of yellow, electrified spirit energy at the Hollow, disintegrating it upon impact with the spell.

"Very good, Ichigo. I must admit, I was a little worried that you couldn't sense it." Aizen said, applauding Ichigo and his actions.

"Well, I didn't at first, but as it got closer, I could feel it coming towards me and simply acted like I hadn't noticed until it was close enough that I could hit it with Kidō and be sure I wouldn't miss." Ichigo explained, causing his Captain to nod, impressed by what he had done.

"Well, I do believe that's about it. Time to go." Aizen said as he turned to leave, before being stopped by Ichigo.

"Hold on a minute, Captain! I thought the report said there were five Hollows; I've only defeated four." Ichigo questioned, as Aizen turned to look at him.

"That is correct, but you must remember; the civilians of the Rukon are just that; civilians. More often than not, they'll panic when in danger and can usually make an incorrect statement. Unless the report comes from a team in Squad Two or a Seated Officer, always assume the report may not be fully accurate." Aizen explained, earning a nod from his subordinate.

"So, what do we do now, Captain; return to the Barracks?" Ichigo asked as he sealed his Zanpakutō again.

"Yes, I think I've seen enough here. When we get back, come to my office. I would like to ask you something." Aizen said before taking off with Flash Step, leaving Ichigo behind.

"Hey! Wait up!" Ichigo shouted, as he began to give chase to his Captain with Flash Step.

* * *

"Hmm, looks like we'll have to work on your Flash Step, Ichigo. I feel that it's not as good as it could be." Aizen said with a smile as Ichigo arrived in Aizen's office a good five minutes behind the Captain, and visibly out of breath.

"Yeah… Well, I'm not as experienced as you are, sir." Ichigo said between breaths. "Alright, so what did you want to ask me?" He asked after a few moments of regaining his breath.

"Ah, yes… Well, I have to be honest with you Ichigo; as I'm sure you're well aware, those Hollows were small fry. They did not require the presence of a Captain. I simply went along to observe." Aizen explained as he began rummaging through his desk, before pulling out something wrapped in cloth.

"Observe? I don't think I follow, Captain." Ichigo said, growing more confused by the minute.

"The reason I asked you to accompany me was so I could observe your skills and see if you were worthy." Aizen explained, as he stood up and walked over to Ichigo.

"Worthy? Please Captain, with all due respect, do you think you could be straight with me?" Ichigo asked.

"My apologies… I wanted to observe your skills and see if you were worthy of being my Lieutenant. Needless to say, I think you passed with flying colours." Aizen said with a smile as he unwrapped the cloth in his hands.

Inside the cloth was a small, varnished wooden shield with the Kanji for 'Five' on it, along with the emblem of the Squad, the Lily of the Valley. It was connected to a black band that was meant to go around the wearer's arm, but could be adjusted to be worn elsewhere.

"L-Lieutenant?! Are you sure about this, Captain? I mean, I just joined the Squad." Ichigo said, shock evident in his voice.

"Completely. In fact, let me tell you a little story. Back when I was Lieutenant of Squad Five, Gin had just graduated from the Soul Reaper Academy, he challenged the Third Seat of Squad Five and proceeded to defeat him in a single move. After such an embarrassing defeat, the man relinquished his position in Squad Five and left. Gin became the new Third Seat and then went on to be my Lieutenant after I became the Captain. If you're worried that people will question my decision, don't. You and Gin are a lot alike in terms of natural talent. Besides, it's the decision of the Captain who gets to be their Lieutenant and I decided that person should be you. It's your choice, however, to accept the position or not." Aizen said, a warm smile on his face.

Ichigo had to think about this decision for quite a bit. On one hand, he had just joined Squad Five and already his Captain believes him worthy of being his Second-In-Command. On the other hand, he was worried about what others might think. What if they scorned him and resented him because they believed Captain Aizen had picked him because of his Shiba blood? Ichigo was at a loss on what he should do.

' _ **Fuck what everyone else thinks! You'll be the Lieutenant and everyone will have to answer to you!'**_ White yelled in his head. Of course he just had to have a say in the matter.

' _He's right, Ichigo. The Captain said this was his decision, and no-one would be stupid enough to question their Captain.'_ Zangetsu commented, agreeing with White.

' _ **Yeah! And even if they do, so what? When you're a Lieutenant, you won't give two fucks about what these piss-ants think! Say 'Yes'! Do it… DO IT!'**_ White practically screeched, causing Ichigo to shake his head.

"Is something wrong, Ichigo?" Aizen asked as Ichigo shook his head.

"Huh? Oh, no sir. I was just trying to make my decision, which I think I have." Ichigo said, taking a deep breath as Aizen looked at him expectantly. "I accept."

* * *

The day after Ichigo accepted Captain Aizen's offer to become Squad Five Lieutenant, he decided to hold a Squad Meeting, to announce the news.

"Good morning, everyone. I have a special announcement to make. We have a new Lieutenant in Squad Five." Aizen announced, causing the entire Squad to break out into excited discussion. "I would like to introduce you to our new Lieutenant. Ichigo, would you come in here?" Aizen called out, and soon after, the door opened and there stood Ichigo, with the Squad Five Lieutenant's Badge on his left arm.

Upon seeing Ichigo, most of the Squad gasped in horror and began talking amongst themselves in an angry tone. Some of the new recruits were shocked, but happy for Ichigo, some of the veteran officers were more than angry.

"You cannot be serious, Captain?! Our Third Seat has served this Squad loyally for over thirty years and you pick this whelp over him?!" One officer shouted in disgust, standing up and gaining everyone's attention.

"Are you questioning my decision, Fifth Seat Kobayashi?" Aizen asked dangerously, glaring at the man in question.

"N-no, sir! I just don't understand why you pick this rookie over Third Seat Nakajima." Fifth Seat Kobayashi explained, faltering in his convictions as he saw Captain Aizen paint a dark glare on him.

"Let me ask you something; while I am aware of Third Seat Nakajima's loyalty to Squad Five, has he ever single-handedly defeated an Adjuchas Class Hollow? Was he able to graduate from the Soul Reaper Academy with a Shikai in a single year? I don't believe he was able to achieve any of these things. What's more, I don't remember anyone having an issue when I made Gin Ichimaru my Lieutenant after I became Captain? How is this any different? It's the decision of the Captain to pick their Lieutenant, but the person who has been selected can turn down the offer. I asked Ichigo, he said yes. There's really nothing more to it." Aizen explained to everyone, who looked at their new Lieutenant with surprise when they heard about his achievements from just a single year in the Soul Reaper Academy.

"Look, if it's all the same to you guys, I wasn't sure if I was ready for this, but I know that I'll have Captain Aizen to support me, and I would hope that I have the support of you all here as well. You don't have to like me; hell, I don't care if you love me or hate me, I want what's best for Squad Five – _our_ Squad – and to make it one that we can all be proud of. If you are all here, I can only assume that's because you wanted to be in this Squad. Whether it was to serve under Captain Aizen, or because you thought it would be a good fit for you, that's your business, but I'm concerned with this Squad being the best it can be, and I would hope all of you want the same too." Ichigo spoke up, causing everyone to look at him.

A few people began talking to one another and began nodding their heads in agreement. After a while, even some of the veteran officers began nodding in approval and eventually most, if not all, were all agreeing with what Ichigo had said.

"Very well said, Lieutenant." Aizen said to Ichigo with a grin, who simply rubbed the back of his head.

"Thank you, Captain. I just said what I was thinking. I do want this to be the best Squad in the Soul Society." Ichigo responded.

"I'm glad you want that. I'll go and alert the Head Captain of my Squad's new Lieutenant, and I'll let you know when the next Lieutenant's Meeting is. I'm sure they'll all be eager to meet you. Look after the Squad while I'm gone. Remember, you're in charge whenever I'm not here." Aizen said as he left the Squad Room and made his way over to Squad One.

"Yes, Captain. You can count on me." Ichigo said, as he watched his Captain disappear with Flash Step.

 _The guys are not going to believe this…_ Ichigo thought with a smile as he looked down at his shiny new Lieutenant's Badge.

* * *

 **A/N; Woo! Another Chapter down! First off, let me just apologise for the delay. I would have had this up several days ago, but I've been buried in work, I've had like 8 Hours sleep this week, I got stuck after one point and asked a friend for advice, but they never got back to me, so I just thought 'Ah, to hell with it, I'll make something up', and my Internet decided to stop working and I couldn't upload this when I wanted to.**

 **Right, so a lot happened in this Chapter; Ichigo and Shūhei are now friends, Ichigo is under Aizen's eagle-eyed watch 24/7 now, Ichigo has learned a little more about Unohana's past, and a little about Kaien's past too (which I made up, in case you were wondering) and Renji's a total pervert. I decided to make Ichigo a Lieutenant now because that opens the door to brining in the rest of the Lieutenants and maybe a few Captains into the story. Rest assured, Ichigo won't be a Captain for quite a while. I intend on having a few storylines in between here and that inevitability.**

 **That brings me to my next point; a new story arc. Would you like me to do a story arc that involves the Bounts or Sword Beasts like we had in the Anime (Obviously I'll change the scope of the story itself), or should I just come up with something of my own creation? I can do both, I'd just like to know what you'd all wanna see first.**

 **One last thing; this story is actually an Arrancar Story, I just thought it'd be cool to make it a multi-arc epic that allows you guys to see Ichigo's time as a Soul Reaper, how he came to joining up with Aizen and why he did so and so on. The mini-prologue at the start of Chapter One should have made that fact obvious, but I'll state it here too, and I'll be changing the description of my story to better encompass that fact.**

 **Now… REVIEWS!**

 **GrimReap3r; Thanks! Glad you like my pen-name. There's a story behind the 'Pasta' bit, but that's for another day. Yes, I do have something special planned for his Bankai, but that won't be revealed until he attains it. Yep, he's gonna be meeting the 'Top Brass', as they say. When have you ever know Soifon to pull her punches when it comes to saying what she thinks? I understand not everyone likes Momo, you need not apologise for that, but I will be having Nel in the Harem. She's so sweet and I can't not have her in there. I will say this to everyone now though; Halibel will NOT be in the Harem. She's too emotionless and cold to write into a romance genre, and trying to give her feelings will just make her OOC and that will just be too weird for me to write. To say nothing of the fact her mask covers her mouth, so how would she kiss Ichigo? Leave Las Noches and release her Zanpakutō to do it? Sounds like a pain in the ass to me. I have a few ideas on who to put in, but Halibel won't be one of them. Sorry. I'll be frank; I'm awful at creating titles. I sat here for over an hour trying to think of a good title/description. This was the best I came up with. If anyone has any suggestions on what I should change these things to, don't hesitate to PM me about it. A prize for the one who comes up with the best Title/Description!**

 **Imperfect The Nameless Hollow; I'm just gonna say this now; I LOVE reviews where people are like 'NOOOO! GIVE ME MORE NOW!' because it shows they're so invested and looking forward to more that it motivates me to keep writing. I actually like Aizen. While there's no way of saying this without sounding like a dick, I am a genius myself (My IQ says I'm considered a genius, that's all I mean. If y'all knew me IRL, you'd know I'm lazy as fuck) and I love his schemes that he cooks up and I take inspiration from his devious mind and see if I can't do the same (perhaps just not as evil as him). I know he's the 'bad guy', but he's just such a badass that I cannot hate him at all. Thanks for the support, friend!**

 **Name The Missing; While Baraggan's** _ **Respira**_ **is indeed powerful, I believe Starrk is a naturally formed Arrancar. Remember when Aizen met him, he was a 'human'? I believe Starrk was once a Vasto Lorde, but became so powerful he ended up evolving into an Arrancar without the help of the Hōgyoku, whereas Baraggan didn't. Remember what he said? He killed every Hollow that came near him? Remember how Aizen's spiritual pressure became so powerful it was able to disintegrate the hands of that man when he was in Muken when Shunsui came to visit him? I believe the concept is similar, making Starrk more powerful than Baraggan. The 'Disruption' effect affects all people with Spirit Energy, meaning he can stop them from forming their weapons temporarily. But even if that's not the case, it's still spirit energy based, meaning any and all spiritual beings can block Quincy weapons.**

 **TheStormWriter123; I would have had this Chapter up several days ago, were it not for my Internet being non-compliant. Even though I work full-time, I know how much you guys love this story, I always want to get more out so you are all happy. I hope you're pleased with how this Chapter went. I hope the ending isn't too terrible. I apologise if it is. I hope it becomes so popular that I get 1,000 Hits a day! Haha, I'm just kidding, that's never gonna happen!**

 **ZeroSquadSephiroth; Nel will indeed be in harem, but Halibel won't. Giving her emotions will make her too OOC and it'll be difficult for me to write her effectively. My first Fanfic (Which was a YoruSoi and Nellibel) was a fucking mess. I'm probably gonna delete that, because it's just awful and unpopular. If you mean Ichigo's Arrancar Family, then it'll be all the girls in his Harem (Still undecided on who that'll be), Starrk, Halibel (They share the same beliefs, which make me think they'll be friends), Ulquiorra, and maybe Grimmjow can be the douchebag little brother that always wants to fight.**

 **Lobisomen616; Why is this timeline going to give you a headache? There's literally nothing complicated about it, is there? I don't see how I've 'shot myself in the foot', as you put it. This is an Arrancar Story. Dropping that 'bomb' doesn't make too much of a difference, as the description will show (I need to change it, but it'll be done soon). Thanks for the review though, I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it (at least, I hope you are).**

 **SnowyAssas1n; I have to admit, I forgot who Yin and Yang were, as I've only seen DDR twice, but I'm going to say this now, I am going to have the pair of them as Ichigo's Fracción and they'll be in his harem too (Seriously, hot Arrancar twins? You must be outta your damn mind if you think I'm gonna pass that up!), so thank you for that. When I write that chapter, I'll make sure to give you full credit for the idea (If I forget (Which I hope I won't), by all means, pull me up on it, and I'll add it into the respective Chapter). You seem to have a few good ideas. I'll think on the rest and I'll give credit should I use these ideas. That's one hell of a suggestion, so thank you very much!**

 **Well, that's about it from me. Oh, before I forget; the whole 'Ichigo-Momo sex thing'… Yeah, I'll give you a run down on what to expect. Yes, expect sex scenes (provided I can do so (I'll change the rating to M after the first one) because I've heard pulls stories that has sex in them, so if that turns out to be a lie, expect sex scenes), but only after the Arrancar come into the story. The way I see it; Momo is too innocent and too pure to be defiled by writing a sex scene on her. I'll never be able to look at her the same way if I write an explicit sex scene about her, so for now, sex is merely implied and happens behind the scenes. Arrancar are more primal, so sex is something that they just go with, making it easy to write and not think they have been defiled in some way. That's all I had to say on the matter.**

 **One more thing; I know this is kinda early, but since it's July 4th in New Zealand (where I am from (I'm actually from the UK; born in Scotland, raised in England, but moved to NZ almost a decade ago... It'll be a decade in a month and 8 days... Wow...)), I would like to wish all my American readers (Not just in the US, but all over the world) a Happy Independence Day! I'm actually a major History nut and I LOVE learning about the American Revolution. It's just so fascinating!  
**

 **Until next time, my faithful readers!**


	9. Enter The Machine

Chapter Nine – Enter The Machine

"Man, how the hell did I get myself into this mess?" Ichigo asked himself, a scowl evident on his face as he watched the scene in front of him unfold.

Ichigo Kurosaki was many things. A Soul Reaper. The Lieutenant of Squad Five. Someone who puts the needs of others before his own. One thing Ichigo Kurosaki was not was a babysitter; but that's exactly what he felt like at that very moment.

His morning had started off as any other normal day; he woke up, went for a morning run before breakfast, quietly observed the Squad Five rookies undergo their morning drills and completed some of his paperwork before going to the weekly Lieutenant's Meeting. When he got there, however, he realised this meeting was going to be anything but normal.

As he opened the door to the meeting room, what he saw surprised him. Several Lieutenants were gathered around, discussing various topics with each other, while Kaien was sat in the back corner, reading a book. That, however, wasn't what had surprised him. What surprised him was the small, pink haired Lieutenant of Squad Eleven being chased by the large fat man from Squad Two.

"Hey! Give me those snacks, Yachiru!" He shouted, trying to chase the pink streak.

"No way! That's not fun! You gotta catch me first, Tubby!" Yachiru giggled with glee.

Lieutenant Ōmaeda was a greedy bastard. Incredibly wealthy, due to his family's successful businesses, he would never pass up an opportunity to rub it in everyone's faces. One way he did that was by bringing tasty, expensive snacks to meetings and never sharing with anyone. Most of the Lieutenants didn't care; they all knew the man was an idiot and the only reason he was Squad Two Lieutenant was so Captain Soifon could exploit his wealth to upgrade her Squad's barracks and make them luxurious living quarters for her and her men.

Yachiru Kusajishi was not 'most Lieutenants'. Yachiru _loved_ sweets and would always be seen with something sugary or sticky in her hands. Most of the time, Captain Ukitake would give her something, as he loved making the young ones smile. Sometimes, Captain Unohana would give her a lollypop when she came to pick up injured Squad Members with Captain Zaraki. On occasion, even Captain Kuchiki would give her something sweet to make her happy. It was no secret the Women's Soul Reaper Association would use the Kuchiki Manor grounds for their meetings, and Ginrei always found the humour in the multitude of ways she'd infiltrate the grounds, much to the chagrin of his grandson.

So, when Lieutenant Ōmaeda would bring expensive sweets to the Lieutenant's meetings and never share, she would always try and steal them off him. Today, it would seem, she was successful.

"Can you two keep it down?! Your voices are like the sound of a thousand cannons firing in the early morning!" The Lieutenant of Squad Seven yelled, putting his hands over his ears.

"Have you been out drinking with Ikkaku and Yumichika again, Tetsuzaemon? I told you not to drink so much before the weekly Lieutenant's meeting. What would Captain Komamura say if he saw you like this?" Squad Four's Lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu asked.

"I don't know; luckily, I fell asleep on the toilet last night, so the Captain hasn't seen me today." Tetsuzaemon said, rubbing his temples in an attempt to hold back the inevitable migraine that was coming.

"Eww, gross! You're in the presence of women, Lieutenant Iba! Please be more courteous and refrain from such disgusting comments!" Squad Eight Lieutenant, Nanao Ise exclaimed with a look of horror.

"Oh, right… Uhh sorry, Nanao!" Tetsuzaemon said, looking over at Nanao and groaned in pain as a brief wave of pain from the incoming migraine hit him.

"Must you engage in such juvenile acts before _every_ Lieutenant's Meeting, Tetsuzaemon Iba?" Byakuya asked with a look of disgust on his face.

"Hey zip it, Kuchiki! Not all us Lieutenants are perfect Nobles like you! Even Kaien knows how to have fun every once in a while, right?" Tetsuzaemon said, looking over to the Squad Thirteen Lieutenant, who was still sat in the corner, reading his book.

"Hey, leave me out of this, you guys. I want nothing to do with your conversation." Kaien said, holding up his book and shaking it at the group.

As Ichigo watched all of this happen, he wasn't aware of the impending doom that was approaching him.

"Hey you guys, where's–" Ichigo began, before he was cut off by a certain Lieutenant, who had hugged him and pressed his face into her large bosom.

"Ichigo! Oh, I'm so happy you're here! These guys have been _so_ boring!" Rangiku shouted gleefully, unaware that she was suffocating Ichigo.

"Oh, look… Rangiku's at it again. What a surprise." Nanao commented; sweat dropping at what she was seeing.

"Ah, it's Ichigo's fault. He's been a Lieutenant for two months now, and he always forgets about Rangiku and her 'hugs'." Kaien said, not even looking up from his book.

"Sounds to me like you're jealous, Kaien." Tetsuzaemon said, causing Kaien to choke on his breath and start coughing uncontrollably.

"J-Jealous?! Are you insane?! I'm married, you imbecile!" Kaien shouted, causing the Squad Seven Lieutenant to cover his ears and shout in pain.

"The volume! It's too loud! Can you turn it down?!" He wailed, burying his head in his arms on the desk, trying to hide from the light and the noise.

"Hmph… Serves you right. Now, where was I?" Kaien said to himself as he returned to his book, just as Ichigo pried himself from Rangiku's large chest and began gasping for air.

"Dammit, Rangiku; how many times have I told you not to do that?!" Ichigo yelled, his face bright red from lack of oxygen and being pressed into the busty Lieutenant's cleavage.

"Aww, c'mon Ichigo! You love my hugs! Why else would you let me do it every week?" Rangiku pouted.

"I love them about as much as being woken up by my father with a flying drop kick…" Ichigo commented, rolling his eyes at Rangiku's pouting face. "Anyway, what I was _trying_ to say was; where's Lieutenant Sasakibe?"

"We don't know. When I arrived, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi was already here and she's normally here after Lieutenant Sasakibe." Nanao commented, pointing at the slender form of the Squad Twelve Lieutenant, who was merely sat at the table and staring at the wall.

"Ugh, looks like I'm going to have to get everyone to settle down then…" Ichigo sighed, as he knew the task was easier said than done.

"What makes you think you should be the one to preside over this meeting, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Byakuya asked, shooting the orange haired Lieutenant a dangerous glare.

"Because you've been sat here for how long and done what, exactly?" Ichigo asked, looking at Byakuya with a grin, knowing the Squad Six Lieutenant had done nothing to gain order.

"By all means, Lieutenant. But I have a feeling you'll have a hard time doing so, what with Lieutenant Kusajishi on a sugar-high and Lieutenant Ōmaeda trying to get his snacks back." Nanao said, as everyone looked over to the small Lieutenant of Squad Eleven and the rotund Lieutenant of Squad Two running around the table.

"Yay! Ichi's here! Wanna play a game?!" Yachiru asked as she leapt onto Ichigo's shoulder and over him, before speeding off again. "Catch me, Ichi! Catch me!"

"Not now, Yachiru. Right now, I need you to– Oof!" Ichigo grunted as the fat man collided into him, knocking him into the wall.

"Hmm, impeccable job you're doing, Ichigo Kurosaki." Byakuya commented dryly as he looked over at the heap of Ichigo and Ōmaeda, tangled together by the wall, causing Kaien to stifle a laugh from behind his book.

"Yay! Ichi stopped Tubby! I win!" Yachiru shouted, as she shovelled the last of Ōmaeda's snacks down her throat. "All gone!" She shouted as she began jumping around the room.

"My snacks! Argh, those were expensive snacks! Do you know how much they cost?!" Ōmaeda shouted, looking at Ichigo.

"Not as much as your medical bills if you don't get the hell off me right now." Ichigo hissed, glaring at the large man, who paled at the glare he was receiving.

Ōmaeda quickly got up and took a seat at the table, trying to hold back tears from the loss of his expansive foodstuffs.

"Now, Yachiru, can you please sit down so we can start?" Ichigo asked.

"Okay!" She shouted as she leapt into a chair.

"Alright, now that everyone's sorted, let's begin." Ichigo paused, looking at all the Lieutenants. "Umm, where do I start?" He asked, causing all the Lieutenants to groan.

"I'll help you out, Lieutenant Kurosaki." Nanao said, as she stood up and began to take control. "Weekly Squad Reports. Since Lieutenant Sasakibe isn't present, let's start with Squad Two. Lieutenant Ōmaeda?" She said, looking at the fat man.

"Uhh, Squad Two is running fine. The Stealth Force is in good shape and we recently got a new hot tub and under-floor heating; I'd like to see the rest of you guys get something cool like that in your Squad!" Ōmaeda boasted, earning a roll of the eyes from every Lieutenant present.

"Oh, yeah? Well, the Women's Soul Reaper Association just had a new swimming pool built!" Yachiru commented, sticking her tongue out at Ōmaeda.

"Actually, the swimming pool was discovered and subsequently destroyed by Lieutenant Kuchiki." Nemu said, causing Yachiru to look at Byakuya.

"Aww! Why do you have to be so mean, Byakushi? That was not your pool!" She pouted.

"Perhaps not, but you built it on _my_ property, without my permission, which gives me every right to remove it." Byakuya shrugged.

"Who's genius idea was it to build a pool on the Kuchiki Manor grounds?!" Nanao yelled, pushing her glasses up.

"Mine, but I had a cloaking device that I thought would deter Lieutenant Kuchiki or anyone else." Nemu said, pulling out a sheet of bright green tarpaulin which said ' _There is no pool under here_ '.

" _That_ was your brilliant plan?! Do you think Lieutenant Kuchiki is a moron or something?!" Nanao shouted.

"I had thought he would simply agree that there was no pool under the cloaking device and merely ignore it." Nemu said in an emotionless voice.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Nanao shouted as she readjusted her glasses once more.

"Byakushi is so mean. I bet Sana or Gramps would have been fine with it." Yachiru said, crossing her arms and huffing.

"Wow, Byakuya, that's pretty cold. I'm sure Hisana would have welcomed the idea of a swimming pool in her garden. She'd be able to relax on a warm summer's day and just soak her troubles away." Rangiku sighed, as she imagined herself doing just that.

"If Hisana wanted something like that, she would simply tell me, and I would make it so." Byakuya said, looking at the Squad Ten Lieutenant.

"I don't know, Byakuya. Miyako tells me that Hisana feels like she can't approach you about those sorts of things, because she doesn't want to rock the boat any more than she has done by marrying you." Kaien commented, closing his book with a snap.

"Preposterous. Hisana knows I can and will do anything for her." Byakuya replied.

"Doesn't mean she feels comfortable asking you for things. Miyako was the same when she married me. She felt like she couldn't approach me about certain things because she wasn't of noble-birth. Have you actually talked to her about it?" Kaien inquired.

"No. As I said, if she wants to approach me about anything, then she knows she can." Byakuya responded, causing Kaien to sigh and shake his head.

"Alright, moving on…" Nanao continued before she heard a noise that sounded like snoring.

Everyone present looked to where the source of the noise and saw Tetsuzaemon, asleep in his chair, sprawled out on the table.

"Well, that figures…" Nanao sighed, shaking her head as Yachiru went over to the sleeping Lieutenant and poked his face.

"Leave me alone, mother! Can't you see I'm busy?" He grumbled as he shifted his position.

Yachiru simply smiled widely before pulling out a black marker from inside her robe and lightly hopped onto Tetsuzaemon's shoulders, without so much as disturbing him, and began doodling all over his face.

"Yachiru! Stop that!" Isane whispered, trying her best not to wake the hungover Lieutenant.

"Oh, relax, Isane. Let the girl have her fun. It'll teach Tetsuzaemon not to turn up to Lieutenant's Meetings drunk." Kaien said, grinning as he watched Yachiru draw a pencil-thin handlebar moustache on the man's face.

"Uhh, excuse me, Nanao? How often do these things occur in Lieutenant's Meetings? I know I've only been a Lieutenant for a short while, but I've never been to one this… Chaotic." Ichigo asked, leaning over to Nanao and whispering to her.

"It's not uncommon. Lieutenant Kusajishi is always full of energy. Soon she'll come down off her sugar rush and fall asleep too. Maybe then we can get some _actual_ work done." Nanao replied, scowling in irritation.

By this point, Yachiru had finished her doodles on Lieutenant Iba's face and had bounded off his back and landed on her chair next to him.

"There! All done!" She said with a huge smile, as she stuffed the marker back in her robe.

"NO, MOTHER, DON'T HURT ME! I SAID I WAS SORRY!" Tetsuzaemon yelled, waking up from his slumber before grasping his head in pain. "Oww! Huh? Where am I?"

"You're at the Lieutenant's meeting, Tetsuzaemon." Isane said, stifling a laugh as she saw the full extent of Yachiru's handiwork.

Aside from the handlebar moustache, Yachiru had given Lieutenant Iba a monobrow, little tear droplets down both of his cheeks, a cliché 'bad guy' scar on his left cheek, near his ear and had drawn a pair of vampire fangs on his mouth.

Tetsuzaemon looked at Isane, then over to Kaien, Rangiku and Byakuya. While Byakuya's face remained expressionless, Kaien had a huge grin on his face and Rangiku had burst out laughing.

"Huh? What's so funny? Is there something on my face?" The Squad Seven Lieutenant asked, as he began to touch his face to see if he could feel anything.

"You could say that…" Kaien said, his grin growing even wider.

"C'mon, don't keep me in the dark, you guys? What's so funny?" He asked, looking at all the Lieutenants in the room.

Rangiku, who was still laughing, reached inside her robe and pulled out a small vanity mirror she always carried on her and passed it to Tetsuzaemon, who opened it and looked at his reflection.

* * *

Out in the Rukon District, Captains Komamura and Tōsen where standing atop a tall hill with a single grave marker on it. They were paying their respects to a close friend that Captain Tōsen had lost long ago, and who was his motivation for becoming a Soul Reaper.

"You really think the boy is ready, Kaname?" Komamura asked.

"I cannot be sure, Sajin. I can only hope what he has learned from my tutelage in these few short months since joining my Squad will be sufficient enough for this task. However, I do have a good idea on who can go along as his back-up." Kaname stated, staring off into the distance.

"Yes, I suppose that would be most beneficial. But who are we, if we cannot rely on our own instincts and our own combat skills? We all have to learn to walk without a crutch at some point." Sajin replied before a sound caused his ears to perk up. "Hmm? How very odd…"

"Is something wrong, Sajin?" Kaname asked, turning to his close friend.

"I'm sure it's nothing, but I could have sworn I heard the sound of Tetsuzaemon screaming in both horror and anger." Captain Komamura said, as he turned to look back towards the Seireitei.

"Isn't he supposed to be in the Lieutenant's Meeting? I'm sure it was something else. I am well aware how sharp your senses are Sajin, especially your hearing, but perhaps you are simply hearing things." Kaname said, causing the large, armoured Captain to nod.

"Perhaps you are right, Kaname. But that sounded almost exactly like him…" Sajin said to himself, more than anything.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Now, if you'll both excuse me. I have a meeting with the Head Captain." Kaname said as he bowed to Captain Komamura and to the grave of his deceased friend before disappearing with Flash Step.

Sajin simply shook his head before bowing to the grave as well, then following Kaname by disappearing with Flash Step.

* * *

"Who is responsible for this?!" Tetsuzaemon shouted angrily.

"Who do you think?" Rangiku asked, as she took her vanity mirror back from the angry Lieutenant.

"Yachiru…!" Lieutenant Iba growled as he turned to look at the short, pink haired Lieutenant, who simply got up from her seat and tried running away.

"Relax, Shades! It'll come out!" She shouted as she bounded over the tables as Tetsuzaemon tried to grab her.

"I'll make you pay for this, you little hell-spawn!" He shouted; his attempts to grab her failing.

"Ohh, Ichi will protect me!" She cried out and jumped over Lieutenant Ōmaeda, using his head as a springboard, and subsequently smashing the fat man's face into the table. Rangiku began laughing even harder as the large man fell out of his chair, unconscious.

Ichigo looked at the incoming pint-sized Lieutenant, who landed softly on his shoulder and flipped around so she ended up sitting on his shoulders, wrapping her arms around the top of his head.

"Hey, what gives?! Get off me, Yachiru!" Ichigo shouted, trying to pry Yachiru off his head.

"Yeah, get off him and face your punishment!" Tetsuzaemon shouted, cracking his knuckles and grinning darkly as he took another step to the now cornered Yachiru.

"Lieutenant Iba! I can't believe you would even suggest the idea of hitting a girl!" Nanao exclaimed in anger, stepping in front of Ichigo and stopping Tetsuzaemon's advance.

"Hey now, Nanao; I never said I was going to hit her!" Tetsuzaemon said defensively.

"Then _what_ did you mean?" Nanao asked, glaring at the man.

"Hey, Ichi; isn't this fun? You're not really good at running things, but that's ok, because this is way more fun than when Mr. Moustache runs things!" Yachiru said, swinging her feet out in front of her as all the female Lieutenants, save for Nemu, were now ganging up on Tetsuzaemon, who was now on the ground, being kicked by Rangiku.

"Man, how the hell did I get myself into this mess?" Ichigo asked himself, a scowl evident on his face as he watched the scene in front of him unfold.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant Kurosaki? The Head Captain would–" A voice called out before opening the door to the meeting room to reveal none other than Lieutenant Sasakibe, who paused and looked at what was happening. Looking from the group of female Lieutenants, to Tetsuzaemon, over to the unconscious lump that was Lieutenant Ōmaeda, then over to Ichigo and back again, the Squad One Lieutenant simply cleared his throat before beginning again. "Lieutenant Kurosaki, the Head Captain would like to see you immediately." He said as he slowly closed the door and backed away from the meeting room, essentially ignoring what was going on inside.

"Well, that's my cue to leave. You behave, Yachiru." Ichigo said as he took the small Lieutenant off his shoulders and sat her down in a chair.

"Ok, Ichi! Bye-bye!" She said happily, as Ichigo left in a blur of Flash Step, after which Yachiru turned to watch Tetsuzaemon get beaten up by several female Lieutenants and started to laugh and point.

Kaien simply went back to reading his book, while Byakuya shook his head and muttered something about 'juvenile delinquents'.

* * *

Ichigo had arrived at the doors of the Head Captain's office, and was led in by Lieutenant Sasakibe. As he walked inside, he saw he was not the only one who Head Captain Yamamoto requested to speak to.

Along with the Head Captain, both Captains Aizen and Tōsen were present and, coming as a huge surprise to Ichigo, none other than Captain Tōsen's Tenth Seat; Shūhei Hisagi. He stared at the black haired Soul Reaper, who merely grinned and gave him a casual salute with two fingers.

"You, uhh, wished to see me, Head Captain Yamamoto?" Ichigo asked, as he made his way over and stood next to Captain Aizen.

"Lieutenant Kurosaki, thank you for coming on such short notice. I will make this meeting short; I have an assignment for you. I am stationing you in the World of the Living with Captain Tōsen's Tenth Seat as part of a Joint-Squad Investigation. You, along with Tenth Seat Hisagi, will be stationed in the region of the Jūreichi Spirit Zone." The Head Captain explained.

"Alright… Could you give me more details? Like, where exactly this 'Jūreichi Spirit Zone' is, and what are the objectives of this assignment." Ichigo asked.

"The objective, for now, is a simple 'Observe and Report'. We have been notified by Squad Twelve of some very strange activity within the Jūreichi. Reports of Human souls simply… Disappearing." Captain Tōsen said.

"What do you mean 'disappearing', Captain Tōsen?" Ichigo asked, looking at the blind man.

"It's as I said, they just vanish. Gone; without a trace. As you know, when a human dies and becomes a soul, Squad Twelve is notified of the death and sends a Soul Reaper from whichever Squad has jurisdiction in that area to perform Konsō and help the soul pass on to the Soul Society. However, we have been receiving reports from dispatched Soul Reapers that they are unable to locate the soul and even Squad Twelve is losing track of them as well." Kaname explained, his sightless eyes looking right at Ichigo.

"How is that even possible? Do you think it's a Hollow behind this? If I remember correctly, the Hollows that attacked Shūhei and I were able to conceal their spiritual pressure. Maybe this one can erase a soul's existence?" Ichigo reasoned, earning a thoughtful nod from the Squad Nine Captain.

"It is possible such a Hollow exists, yes; which is why I want you to capture the beast and bring it back to me. It will prove invaluable to my research." A voice said from the doorway of the office. Ichigo turned around to see none other than Captain Kurotsuchi making his way over to the group, with a man in a white lab coat and what appeared to be small horns protruding from his forehead.

"I never requested your presence here, Captain Kurotsuchi; why are you here?" The Head Captain asked, turning his attention to the approaching Captain.

"I have a few things to give to these individuals before they depart on this important mission. Akon!" Mayuri barked, causing the man behind the Captain to step out and address the group.

"Ahem, yes, we have a few devices that you'll need while in the World of the Living." The man, now known as Akon, explained as he pulled out a small cube and pressed a button, causing it to expand into a large box. "First of all, we have these headsets. These will allow you to stay in contact with each other while on assignment and with us back in Squad Twelve. That leads me to the second item." Akon said as he handed Shūhei and Ichigo a wireless headset. "These are your Soul Pagers. Not only do they allow you to keep in contact in conjunction with the headsets, but they'll also allow you to track various spiritual pressures that are considered to be above that of a 'normal' human soul."

"What about humans that are alive? I know that when I was alive, I could see and talk to spirits, meaning that I had, what you would consider to be, a spiritual pressure greater than that of the average human." Ichigo inquired, pocketing the Soul Pager.

"Good question, Lieutenant. The Soul Pager is able to track living humans, but their energy signatures will be substantially different to that of a soul or even a Hollow, so you don't need to worry about differentiating between a living human and a soul." Akon explained.

"Who cares, just get to the important stuff! You know what happens when you ramble…" Mayuri said darkly, causing Akon to pale noticeably.

"Uhh, of course; my apologies, Captain." Akon said, bowing to his superior officer, who simply huffed in annoyance. "These devices will help you read and analyse residual spirit energy and its reishi composition, which will feed the data back to us at Squad Twelve, so we can further analyse it. While these machines will give you all the information you'll need out in the field, it'll allow us to do a more in depth investigation, and allow us to determine its origin and its complete spiritual structure. For example, if Shūhei was to release his Zanpakutō, this machine would be able to capture his residual spirit energy and analyse it, giving you information on what kind of spirit energy it is, its power level and the density of said energy." Akon explained.

"Uhh, right… Spiritual structures, density and reishi… I get it…" Ichigo said, blinking at the scientist.

"What he means, you bumbling imbecile, is that it will tell you if the spirit energy comes from a Hollow or not. It'll also tell you how powerful the beast is and it'll be able to give you an approximate time as to when the creature left the spirit energy." Mayuri snapped.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, please. Not everyone understands the scientific explanations behind your devices, or how to properly read and examine spiritual pressures. There is no need to be so callous to someone, simply because they don't understand it as well as you do." Captain Aizen said calmly.

"Hmph! If this fool can't understand the basic concepts of spiritual energy detection, then why is he a Lieutenant?" Mayuri growled.

"I understand how it works just fine. You don't have to be a dick about it." Ichigo said with a scowl.

"What did you just say to me?! Captain Aizen, are you going to let your subordinates get away with addressing a Captain as such?!" Mayuri practically screeched.

"Hmm, I'm sorry; did you say something, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Aizen asked coolly, looking at the painted Captain, whose face twisted into a look of anger.

"Are you going to stand for this, Head Captain?!" Mayuri shouted, looking at the Head Captain.

"Huh? Wha-? Oh, ahem… What were you saying, Captain Kurotsuchi; something about residual spirit energy?" The Head Captain asked, who sounded as if he had just woken up from a light snooze.

 _Was the Head Captain really sleeping? Wouldn't surprise me; I'd've fallen asleep too, if they weren't talking to me…_ Ichigo thought to himself.

"Argh! Forget it! Take your gear and don't come back until you have viable test samples! Akon, we're leaving!" Mayuri yelled, turning around and storming out of the Head Captain's office.

"Of course, Captain. Good luck, you two." Akon said with a bow as he quickly rushed to catch up to his angry Captain.

"So, we know _what_ we're doing; now all we need to know is _where_." Ichigo said, turning around to look at the Head Captain.

"Yes, well, as I was saying, the Jūreichi moves slowly around over time. Right now, it currently resides in District 3,600; a place known as Karakura Town." The Head Captain said, causing Ichigo's eyes to widen considerably.

"K-Karakura Town?!" Ichigo repeated.

"Yes. Is there a problem, Lieutenant?" The Head Captain asked, looking at the surprised Lieutenant.

"Well, it's not a problem as such… It's just that Karakura Town was my home. How am I meant to do my job when there's a possibility that people I knew might be able to see me? I mean hell; my sister, Karin, was able to see spirits. How do you think she'll react if she sees me as a Soul Reaper?" Ichigo asked, looking at everyone in the room.

"He does raise a good point. His friends and family all know he's dead. Would it really be wise to send him back to his home, a place where the Jūreichi currently resides, which is responsible for the creation of humans with above average spiritual powers?" Captain Tōsen asked.

"I think I have something that will help with that." Captain Aizen spoke up. "Captain Kurotsuchi created these devices to cloak spiritual beings from being seen whilst in the World of the Living. A few of my Officers used them some time ago, and Captain Kurotsuchi never came to collect them, so…" Captain Aizen said with a shrug.

"With all due respect, Captain, while this gear is all well and good, aren't we forgetting one critical element here?" Shūhei asked, looking at everyone in the room. "District 3,600 is under the jurisdiction of Squad Thirteen, so why are two Officers from Squads Five and Nine being assigned to the area?"

"I was just getting to that… You are indeed correct; District 3,600 is under Squad Thirteen's jurisdiction, but since Captain Ukitake is indisposed and Lieutenant Shiba cannot go himself, he has offered to send along an attaché from Squad Thirteen." The Head Captain said, looking over to his Lieutenant, who nodded and left the room.

"Well, isn't this perfect? There are three of you going to the World of the Living, and I just so happen to have three of those cloaking devices from the last time my Officers were sent on an assignment." Captain Aizen said with an amused smile.

"I just hope it's not Kiyone or Sentarō. The pair of them give me a headache every time I visit Kaien." Ichigo said, shaking his head.

"Actually, Ichigo, I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised by who Kaien has decided to send. You know her quite well." Aizen said, looking at his Lieutenant with a grin.

"Her? Oh, you're not serious?" Ichigo said, a grin spreading on his face as he realised who was being sent from Squad Thirteen. He was now looking forward to this assignment.

As Shūhei was about to open his mouth and ask who Captain Aizen and Ichigo were talking about, the door to the office opened and in walked Lieutenant Sasakibe, along with the attaché from Squad Thirteen.

"Well, well, well… Never did I think we'd get to work together… Miyako." Ichigo said as Miyako Shiba walked up to the group of Officers, before bowing to the Captains and Ichigo, while giving a kind nod of acknowledgement to Shūhei, who bowed in return.

"I must admit, Lieutenant, I never thought we'd get to work as a team either, but I think that's the reason why my Lieutenant decided to send me. I'm really looking forward to working with you both." She said with a smile.

"Very well. Now that your team is together, Lieutenant Kurosaki, I expect you will be successful in your mission. Once you have retrieved Captain Kurotsuchi's cloaking devices from Captain Aizen, you will be authorised to leave. I'll have the Kidō Corps stabilise the Senkaimon for you. That is all. You are dismissed!" The Head Captain declared, resulting in all present Officers to bow before leaving the room.

"Shūhei and Miyako; the pair of you can make your way to the Senkaimon. I'll have Ichigo bring the devices with him before he leaves. I need to speak with him back in my office." Aizen said, as Shūhei and Miyako nodded and left with Flash Step. "Ready, Ichigo?" Aizen said with a grin before vanishing with his own Flash Step.

"Hey! Argh, I hate it when he does that." Ichigo grumbled, as he made an attempt to chase after his Captain.

* * *

"Hmm, not bad… There's room for improvement, but you're certainly getting better." Aizen said as Ichigo arrived at his office almost a full two minutes behind the Captain.

"Well, if you had given me more warning, I might have beaten you." Ichigo said, trying to catch his breath.

"Maybe, but you must remember that in combat, your opponent will give you no warning. Instead, you must look for a 'tell'. Something they always do before a certain action. It might be something minor, like a shifting of their stance, they might blink a few times, or they might even grin." Aizen explained, seeing Ichigo connect the dots.

"Ah, I see what you mean. I need to observe my opponents; see what they do and analyse their actions." Ichigo said, causing Aizen to nod.

"You're catching on quickly. I knew I made the right choice in making you my Lieutenant. However, that's not what I wanted to speak to you about. Come in." Aizen said, opening the door to his office and beckoning Ichigo to a seat in front of his desk.

"Alright, then what did you want to speak to me about?" Ichigo asked, as he waited for his Captain to be seated, before doing the same.

"I want to know; are you up for this assignment? I need to know if you have any doubts or concerns, because I cannot allow you to undertake this mission if you think your decision making will be impaired by friends or family." Aizen held up a hand to silence Ichigo's protests. "What I mean is, Ichigo, you're there to do a job. You're not there to watch over your friends and keep them safe. Am I understood?" Aizen said in a serious tone.

"Yes sir, I understand. My main priority as both Lieutenant of Squad Five and the leader of this mission is doing what is required and keeping my team safe." Ichigo said, earning a nod from Aizen.

"Very good, but just to be sure you're not tempted, I would like to remind you that Squad Twelve will be monitoring all the equipment they gave you, so you'll be under constant surveillance. I'm not the bad guy here, remember; I'm just making sure you're aware of what'll be happening. I'm sure you'll fulfil your duties as a Lieutenant of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads should, but I'm sure you also have a lot of questions for your father, regarding his past. Do not seek him out." Aizen said in a hard tone, making sure Ichigo understood.

"Yes, Captain. I will do my job and nothing more. You have my word as Squad Five Lieutenant." Ichigo said seriously.

"That's what I like to hear. Now, I believe I have some of Captain Kurotsuchi's gear for you to take with you." Aizen said, as he began rummaging around in the drawers of his desk.

After a few minutes of rifling through many, many reports and Squad training exercises, Aizen pulled out three small bracelets and handed them to Ichigo. Ichigo's first thought was that they looked like some kind of fashion accessory; one that Rangiku would love to get her hands on.

The bracelets were gold, double banded that converged in the centre and had a small point where the two bands intersected. Hanging off the end of this point was a small, black diamond.

"Now, I know what you're thinking; they're probably more suited for women than men, but that's because they were created for women. While in Soul form, my Officers used them to become 'invisible' to any and all spiritually aware people, but when they were in their Gigai, they were used as a fashion accessory. I have to hand it to Lieutenant Kurotsuchi; she knows her stuff." Aizen said, as Ichigo regarded the devices with an odd look.

"Wait, don't you mean _Captain_ Kurotsuchi?" Ichigo asked.

"No, it was Lieutenant Kurotsuchi who created these devices. While I'm sure Captain Kurotsuchi took credit for them, it was actually his Lieutenant who made them." Aizen said.

"How can you tell? I thought everything Squad Twelve did was 'Top Secret'?" Ichigo said, looking at his Captain, who had an amused smile on his face.

"Since when has Captain Kurotsuchi known anything about women and what they like? No, this has Nemu written all over it. She really doesn't get enough credit; some of the best designs from the Department of Research and Development have come from her." Aizen said with a grin.

Ichigo could only laugh at Aizen's comment. It was true; for all his boasting about being the most intelligent man in the Soul Society, he knew absolutely _nothing_ when it came to matters of the female persuasion.

"Anyway, that's all I wanted to talk to you about. You are dismissed, Lieutenant." Aizen said with a nod, causing Ichigo to stand up, bow to his Captain then make his way over to the Senkaimon to meet up with Miyako and Shūhei. "I believe this would be an ideal time to expedite progression with Ichigo's Inner Hollow…" Aizen said to himself after Ichigo had left, before leaving with Flash Step.

A few moments later, Aizen arrived outside the office of Squad Three Captain, Gin Ichimaru and entered after a brief knock.

"Ah, good day, Captain Aizen. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Gin asked, a large grin plastered on his face.

"The time has come Gin. With me." He said as he turned and left almost as quickly as he arrived with Flash Step.

"Oh, goody. This is going to be exciting! I wonder what he means by 'the time has come' though… I guess I'm about to find out." Gin said as he stood up and made to follow Captain Aizen.

* * *

"The time has come for us to expedite the process of bringing out Ichigo's Inner Hollow." Aizen explained, as he descended the large spiral staircase into their hideout. "For the past few months, I have been closely overseeing his training, and I think he'll benefit from a little… Outside assistance."

"Oh? And why now, Captain Aizen? I thought you said it would be better for this 'help' to come after he learns Bankai." Gin asked as he plopped down into a chair, which spun around slightly as he did so.

"I'm afraid it's much too soon for Ichigo to learn the Bankai release. If he was to try it now, well… The results would be unfavourable, to say the least. No, right now, we need to push him to become stronger. While his current growth rate is exceptional, he won't be strong enough to achieve Bankai without some assistance from his Hollow, and it doesn't seem to be trying to consume him." Aizen said as he sat down and looked at a monitor which was displaying many areas of the Seireitei on a loop.

"Why is that a bad thing? If his Hollow isn't trying to take over, then there shouldn't be anything to worry about, right?" Gin asked, looking at Aizen.

"We need his Hollow to see Ichigo as weak, so that it'll try to take control. That's when Ichigo will come to me, determined to seek strength to overcome his Hollow. Then, and only then, can we consider Bankai an option." Aizen said, propping his chin up on the tips of his fingers as he watched the monitor intently.

"And you think this is the best way to go about it? Why not pit him against Captain Zaraki? Surely he's more than a match for Ichigo, even with his eye patch on." Gin stated, causing Aizen to turn and look at him.

"Yes, you're correct, but for all the strength Kenpachi Zaraki has, there is one thing he doesn't have; Hollow Blood." Aizen stated calmly.

"Wait, what does that have to do with Ichigo's strength and brining out his Hollow?" Gin asked.

"It's very simple. When Ichigo is pushed to his limit and his soul is at risk of being destroyed, he seems to get stronger. When he was battling Shūhei, he achieved Shikai. When he was attacked by the Hollows in the World of the Living, he learned how to use the Getsuga Tenshō. Both times his soul was nearly destroyed, he became stronger. However, his Hollow never came out. Do you know why that is?" Aizen asked, looking at Gin with a thin smile.

"Well, no… If I did I wouldn't be asking, would I?" Gin responded, earning a chuckle from Aizen.

"Of course. My apologies. Allow me to explain. Ichigo's Hollow Powers are chained to him, suppressed by his Soul Reaper Powers. His Soul Reaper Powers are the dominant entity in his soul currently. We need to force the Hollow Powers to the forefront of his being and make them the dominant power inside him. The only way we can do that is by using Hollow Blood as a catalyst. As far as I'm aware, Ichigo has never come into contact with Hollow Blood. That's something we'll need to change. If we can get Ichigo to come into contact with Hollow Blood, then it should be enough to awaken his latent Hollow Powers and drive them to the surface. Once that is complete, we can move onto Stage Two." Aizen explained, standing up and pulling out the device used for opening Garganta from his pocket and tossing it to Gin. "Now you know what needs to happen. I'll leave the rest in your capable hands. Choose someone to go to the World of the Living and fight Ichigo. Make sure they know he _must_ come into contact with their blood, and that he isn't to die. Other than that, I have no other constraints."

"Alright then. I'll go see who is capable of completing this task. I assume Baraggan is out of the question?" Gin said, turning his head to look back at Aizen.

"Not at all. Send whoever you wish. Perhaps Aaroniero would be a good choice. He has claimed to have absorbed more than 30,000 Hollows. Perhaps the concentrated blood of over 30,000 Hollows would be more beneficial than sending anyone else. Why not Nnoitra? It'll be a good test for Ichigo; to see if he can cut Nnoitra's so called 'indestructible Hierro'. He still needs to be punished for killing Nelliel, so perhaps we can use this opportunity to toy with him? As I said, the choice is yours, Gin. I'm sure you'll make the right decision." Aizen said, leaning back on the control console, his arms folded across his chest as he spoke.

"Oh, before I go… I don't believe you've told me what 'Stage Two' is, Captain Aizen." Gin said, looking at Aizen.

"No, I haven't. I haven't even told Kaname yet, because I need to see how well Ichigo progresses in Stage One. I will tell you this though; rage and desperation are excellent catalysts for Hollowfication. I'm sure you remember that from my experiments on Shinji and his friends?" Aizen said with an empty smile.

With a simple nod, Gin used the device and opened a Garganta and made his way to Hueco Mundo, while Aizen simply turned back to the monitor with Ichigo on it and began to closely study the boy.

* * *

Ichigo had left the Captain Aizen's Office within the Squad Five Barracks and was about to make his way to the Senkaimon when something grabbed his attention. As he was walking down one of the many maze-like streets of the Seireitei, he heard the sound of a very familiar voice. Ichigo decided to go investigate.

"Oh c'mon, Nanao! Why are you always so uptight?" Rangiku asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"What do you mean 'uptight'; there is no way in hell that's going to happen." Nanao replied calmly.

"Well why not? Is this because of what happened last time? You know that was an accident… I couldn't help it." Rangiku pouted.

"You're joking, right? You had six shots of sake in less than fifteen minutes. If you want to spend the rest of the night throwing up in the bathroom, you be my guest; just leave me out of it." Nanao said as she walked away.

"Nanao, wait! I know what we should do!" Rangiku called out, grabbing the slender Lieutenant by the wrist. Pausing for a moment to figure out what it was she was actually going to 'do', she began looking around, and saw Ichigo walking around the corner. "Let's ask Ichigo! Yoo-hoo! Ichigooooo!" Rangiku called out, waving to the Squad Five Lieutenant.

"Oh, crap… I knew it was a bad idea to see what was going on." Ichigo said to himself as Rangiku walked up to him, dragging Nanao with her.

"Ichigo, we have something to ask you." Rangiku said with a smile.

" _We_? I'm sorry, but where did you get 'we' from? You're the one who's intent on doing this; I want no part of it!" Nanao protested, before being silenced by the Squad Ten Lieutenant.

"Ichigo, _we_ were hoping you'd be interested in accompanying us and several other Lieutenants so we can all go out and celebrate Nanao's birthday!" Rangiku said excitedly.

"Oh, please stop…" Nanao sighed, covering her face with her free hand.

"Nanao, it's your birthday?" Ichigo asked, looking at the bespectacled Lieutenant.

"No, not today. Tomorrow." She said with a sigh.

"Oh, Nanao… Why are you so against this? I bet if Captain Kyōraku was planning something for you, you'd be keen." Rangiku said, winking at Nanao.

"You must be out of your damn mind! Would you just give it a rest already?!" Nanao shouted.

"I'm not even going to bother asking what that is all about…" Ichigo started, receiving a silent 'thank you' from Nanao. "But, I'm afraid I must decline any plans that you have that might include me for the foreseeable future." Ichigo said.

"What?! Why?!" Rangiku cried, looking at Ichigo with sad eyes.

"You know why Lieutenant Sasakibe wasn't at the Lieutenant's Meeting earlier today?" Ichigo asked the two women, who simply shook their heads. "I've been given an assignment in the World of the Living. I was on my way to the Senkaimon when I heard you two talking around the corner." Ichigo said.

"Oooh, the World of the Living?! Can I come? It's been so long since I've been there; I really need to do more shopping!" Rangiku said, her eyes lighting up in excitement.

"Sorry, no." Ichigo said bluntly. "I already have my team assembled and waiting at the Senkaimon. We're leaving as soon as I arrive."

"You've been given point on an assignment in the World of the Living already? Who's on your team?" Nanao asked.

"Well, it's meant to be a two-man operation, with Shūhei as my partner, but since we're going to District 3,600, which is under Squad Thirteen's jurisdiction, Miyako is accompanying us both as an attaché." Ichigo explained.

"Really? Hmm, that's interesting; Lieutenant Shiba never mentioned sending his wife to the World of the Living. District 3,600… Isn't that the current location of the Jūreichi Spirit Zone?" Nanao asked.

"That's right; Karakura Town. Want to hear the kicker? Karakura town is where I was from when I was alive." Ichigo said.

"Seriously?! The Head Captain was perfectly fine to send you on a mission to the place you resided whilst alive?" Nanao said; surprise evident in her voice.

"Yeah, it seems so. Perhaps this is the Old Man's way of testing my resolve as a Lieutenant? Y'know, by sending me to the place I lived to see if I can perform my duties to the fullest extent?" Ichigo reasoned, earning a nod from Nanao.

"That seems probable. But what about your friends and family? Karakura Town is currently the centre point of the Jūreichi; surely some of your friends are spiritually aware and will be able to see you." Nanao said.

"Captain Aizen has that covered." Ichigo said, removing one of the bracelets Captain Aizen had given to him from his bag.

"Ooh, that's beautiful! Can I have one?" Rangiku asked, marvelling at the beautifully designed jewellery in front of her.

"Again, no." Ichigo said, putting the bracelet away in his bag. "These were created by the Department of Research and Development; they make the wearer invisible to all spiritually aware humans and double as a fashion accessory while in a Gigai. According to Captain Aizen, they were designed by Nemu for some of his female officers several years ago, but Captain Kurotsuchi never came to get them back."

"How odd… It's not like Captain Kurotsuchi to forget about something he loaned out to a Squad." Nanao said to herself.

"Maybe it's because Nemu created them and he refuses to accept that it wasn't something he created, so he doesn't care what happens to them?" Ichigo reasoned, receiving a nod from Nanao.

"That does sound like Captain Kurotsuchi; his pride as a scientist is more important to him than almost anything else… At least, that's what Captain Kyōraku says about him. Frankly, I just find him creepy." Nanao said with a slight shudder.

"I, personally, think he's an A-Grade dick. He talks down to people who don't understand the complexities of science and thinks he's a God or something because of his knowledge." Rangiku said bitterly.

"Well, I hate to cut and run, but Miyako and Shūhei are waiting for me at the Senkaimon. It wouldn't look good if the team leader was late arriving, would it?" Ichigo said with a smirk.

"Not at all, Lieutenant. You best be on your way. Good luck on your assignment and I hope you return successful." Nanao said with a tone of formality.

"Have fun, Ichigoooo! If you have time, you should definitely go shopping for me!" Rangiku said, as she grabbed Ichigo and pulled him in for a hug, suffocating him once again with her large chest.

"Rangiku, would you cut that out!" Nanao shouted with annoyance as she pulled Rangiku off Ichigo, allowing him to breathe again.

"Thanks Nanao. I'm gonna get outta here while I still can. See ya!" Ichigo said, and with a short wave, vanished with Flash Step.

"Aww! You never let me have any fun!" Rangiku pouted as she and Nanao resumed their walk.

"On the contrary; in fact, I think I let you have _too_ much fun. You're almost as bad as Captain Kyōraku…" Nanao said with a sigh.

* * *

"You want me to go back to the World of the Living to fight this boy? Absolutely not!" Baraggan shouted, looking down at Gin with contempt.

"Oh, come now, Baraggan. All you have to do is trade a few blows, let him cut you and bleed all over him. Is that really so hard?" Gin asked.

"You expect me to let that worm _wound_ me?! Your insolence knows no bounds, Ichimaru!" Baraggan growled, standing up and putting a hand over his shoulder.

"Alright, alright… No need to get so testy. I just thought you would enjoy fighting someone who's going to be very powerful one day." Gin said, trying to subtly convince Baraggan.

"Is that so? Tell me, Ichimaru, does this boy have a Bankai?" Baraggan asked, taking a seat on his throne once more.

"A Bankai? Hmm, not yet… Captain Aizen doesn't believe he's ready to learn it yet." Gin said, scratching his chin in thought.

"Then I am not interested. Be gone!" Baraggan shouted, waving his hand to dismiss Gin.

"Oh, fine. You're no fun at all, are you?" Gin said, earning a growl from Baraggan before heading off with Flash Step.

Gin's first port of call in Hueco Mundo was Baraggan. As he was the Primera, Gin wanted to afford him the respect his rank earned him, and offered the choice to go fight Ichigo in the World of the Living first. Gin knew that Baraggan would refuse, but he thought he could sway the decision of the so-called 'God-King'. It appeared Gin thought wrong. Now he needed to think on who he could ask next.

"Captain Aizen did say Nnoitra would be a good candidate. He _does_ need to be punished for what he did to poor Nelliel after all… She was such a nice individual; really kind and fun to talk to. But… I'm afraid he'll take things too far and kill Ichigo. We can't have that. Yammy is definitely out of the equation; he's far too stupid and his rage makes him reckless and a liability. Oh! I know who would be _perfect_ for the job!" Gin said, snapping his fingers as the thought struck him.

After a short time traversing the vast desert of Hueco Mundo from Baraggan's throne, Gin arrived at the Palace of Las Noches, which was near completion; the only work that needed to be done was the final reinforcements to the five towers atop the large dome. After that, the Palace would be complete.

"Hmm, now where is he…?" Gin said as he pushed open the doors to the main foyer of the palace. He stopped once he was inside and began scanning the area, trying to isolate the spiritual pressure he was looking for. "Aha! There you are…" Gin smiled to himself as he disappeared in a blur of Flash Step.

* * *

"What do you want… Gin?" A voice called from the other side of the door before Gin could even knock, followed by said door sliding open to reveal Gin standing at the entrance.

"Oh, hello! Hope I'm not interrupting anything. By the looks of it, I'm not. Splendid!" Gin said, clapping his hands together.

"It appears you didn't hear me; what do you want, Gin?" The man asked, getting up from his bed and turning to face Gin, hands shoved deep in his pockets; his green eyes examining the Squad Three Captain intently.

"Why so hostile, Ulquiorra? I only come because I have a request from Captain Aizen." Gin said; his perpetual smile upon his face once again. "He needs someone to go to the World of the Living and fight his Lieutenant."

"So you decided to pick me? To what end? Surely Baraggan or Nnoitra would be a better candidate." Ulquiorra said evenly.

"Well, Baraggan is the First Espada, so I'm afraid he's a bit too powerful for the task. While Nnoitra is the Eighth Espada, I fear he'll take things too far and kill the poor boy. You, my dear Ulquiorra, are the Fourth Espada and you're of a high enough intelligence to not kill Captain Aizen's Lieutenant. That's why I've come to you. So, what do you say?" Gin asked, taking a step forward, causing Ulquiorra to hold up a hand.

"I'm afraid I must decline. I am currently conducting my own investigation here, in Las Noches. To pull me away from this now would be of great consequence." Ulquiorra stated, his green eyes looking through Gin and at the wall behind him. "I do, however, know of someone who might be more suited to this task. While he is not an Espada, I do believe he will be more than ideal for what Lord Aizen has planned."

"Oh, really? Then, please, tell me his name and where I can find him." Gin said, looking at the pale Espada with curiosity.

* * *

"Well, well, well… You certainly took your time." Shūhei said with a grin as Ichigo finally arrived at the Senkaimon.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I got held up a little." Ichigo said, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Well, since we're all here… Third Seat Shiba, perhaps you could tell us more about the area we're going to, since it _is_ under your Squad's jurisdiction." Shūhei said, turning to look at Miyako.

"I'm sure Ichigo would do a better job of telling you. As I understand it, Karakura Town is where he lived before coming to the Soul Society, and please, just call me Miyako." She said with a smile.

"Alright, well, it's not _that_ big of a place. Not when you compare it to Tokyo or one of the other big cities. Sure, it has huge shopping malls – please don't tell Rangiku that – and it has heaps of great places to eat. There are many residential areas and apartment complexes. It even has two rivers that flow through the area. It's a nice place, but we're not going there to sightsee; we have a mission to complete and that's what we're going to do. Here…" Ichigo said as he started digging through his bag and pulled out the bracelets Captain Aizen gave to him.

"What is this?" Shūhei asked, looking at the object.

"It's that cloaking device Captain Aizen was talking about. Nemu created them for some of his female officers to use years ago. No-one will be able to see us so don't worry about people laughing at you for wearing a bracelet, Shūhei." Ichigo smirked.

"Yeah, very funny." Shūhei remarked sarcastically. "So, do we have a base of operations while in Karakura or not?"

"Not in Karakura, no. However, I know of a place in Naruki City, which borders Karakura. We'll bunker down there for the duration of our stay. I can't risk running into someone I knew when I was alive; we can't wear these bracelets all the time, you know." Ichigo said, earning a nod from Shūhei and Miyako. "Alright, what are we waiting for, Christmas? Let's do this."

Ichigo, Shūhei and Miyako all made their final preparations and made sure they had all the necessary gear before they turned and walked into the Senkaimon, with a Hell Butterfly as their guide, so they could bypass the arduous task of travelling through the Dangai and avoiding 'The Cleaner'.

* * *

After Gin had left Ulquiorra's room, he began to make his way over to the other side of Las Noches, where he would, supposedly, find the man Ulquiorra had recommended for the task of battling Ichigo to awaken his latent Hollow Powers. Gin was still unsure. Out of all the Arrancar and Espadas he knew in Las Noches, this one was an anomaly. It was apparent to him that Aizen had created this Arrancar when Gin was not present.

Who this Arrancar was, wasn't a big deal to him, for he knew Ulquiorra was a loyal servant to Aizen and would never do anything to jeopardise the man's plans, but Gin wanted to show Aizen that he was capable of doing what was required of him. Maybe then, Aizen would be more open with him and reveal more of his plans to him in the future.

Gin merely sighed at the thought. He knew that Aizen always kept his cards close to his chest and never revealed more than he needed to. The very notion that Aizen would simply tell Gin all his plans was absurd, and he knew it.

Reaching his destination, he sighed before knocking on door and awaited a reply.

"Yeah, what?" Came the short reply from the other side of the door.

"I'm here at the behest of Captain Aizen. He would like someone to go to the World of the Living and fight his Lieutenant. I have been told by Ulquiorra that you're the man for the job." Gin called out, receiving no response from the other side.

Sighing, Gin simply shook his head and began to walk away. He got about three steps down the hallway before he heard the door slide open.

"Aizen wants me to go to the World of the Living and fight someone? Keep talking; you have my attention." The man said, causing Gin to turn around, his fox-like smile returning to his face.

"Wonderful. Captain Aizen wants to see if his Lieutenant is 'combat ready' and can fight off any threat that comes his way. I have been assigned with finding someone suitable for that task, and I'm told you're more than capable of such a mission." Gin said, walking back towards the door.

"So, you're saying I get to go to the World of the Living, raise hell and fight some bitch-ass Soul Reaper Lieutenant, all because Aizen wants to see if they're 'combat ready'? Tch, you bet your ass I'm more than capable." The man snorted.

"Very good, I'm sure Captain Aizen will be pleased by your eagerness. So, how about you let me inside and we can discuss the mission in more detail? What do you say?" Gin said, looking at the man expectantly.

The man merely grinned darkly and stepped aside to allow Gin into his room. As Gin walked past him, he looked at the man and nodded.

"Alright, this is what you need to know… Grimmjow." Gin said as the door closed behind him.

* * *

 **A/N; Alrighty, another Chapter is complete! I should probably apologise for the delay. I had wanted to get this Chapter done a week ago, but it would appear my Insomnia has returned, for I have not slept since I posted my last Chapter… I also think my depression is returning too, but yeah… I've also been really worried that the quality of my work is slowly declining and that it's becoming boring for people to read, which has kinda killed my motivation (along with my depression), but I'll still update this story – hopefully once a week at best. I hope this is not the case, but I also hope you guys would tell me if it was, so I can rectify the situation.**

 **The gears of Aizen's machine are slowly starting to turn, and now things are about to take place that will have consequences that'll only be revealed further down the line. I hope y'all are intrigued and excited to see what I have in store for you as the story progresses.**

 **I've been thinking over new ideas for Titles and Descriptions, and while I haven't got anything solid in mind just yet, I'll make sure to tell you what I intend on re-naming this story at least one Chapter prior to the change, so you all know it'll be changing, and (hopefully) won't be confused by the sudden name change. Again, if anyone has any ideas for a new title and/or description, don't hesitate to PM me about it. Anyone who helps me with either shall receive due credit. I'm not a dick who takes credit for other people's work.**

 **Before I start responding to reviews, there is something I would like to share with you. Like many of you, I also read lots of Fanfics. However, the reason I started writing was because I had so many ideas for stories that I wanted to share with you all… That, and some of the Fics I have read are just atrocious in terms of grammar, syntax and just overall structure. I mean, some people can't even spell properly, let alone structure a proper, legible sentence. Now, I know there are people on here from all over the world and English may not be their first language, but I'm not addressing those people, because the worst ones I have seen are from people who speak English as a first language. I mean, it's like they don't even use spellcheck, or even know what a fucking dictionary is. There are some Fics on here that are just so poorly written, that is actually hurts me to read them. One instance is where someone wouldn't start a new line when a new person was speaking. It was all smashed together in a huge-ass paragraph. Now, I don't know about you, but I like to imagine stories as if I am watching them, and I try to adopt the character's voice (or give them one if they're an OC or not from a TV Show/Movie) while reading and if I can't distinguish between who's speaking at any given time, it just becomes impossible to read.**

 **Another issue is just poor story-telling. There are some stories I have read that are so ludicrous and so outlandish that I just sit here and think 'What in the fuck am I reading?' and I just can't continue with it. I remember reading one story and it was just so poorly written and cringe-worthy that I just couldn't take it seriously and had to stop reading. Honestly, I felt like it was written by a six-year-old. What's worse was people were saying 'This is really good, keep it up!' Like, no, it really isn't! I'm a firm believer of 'Constructive Criticism' in that if something is really bad, just say something, but don't be a twat about it (Before people start calling me a hypocrite, because I'm being rather scathing right now, I just want to get my point across and I see no reason in sugar-coating things). If anything, remember this; 'Just because you can, doesn't mean you should'. What I mean by that is 'Just because you** _ **can**_ **publish works that are poorly written, have atrocious spelling, grammar and syntax, and a sub-standard storyline, doesn't mean you** _ **should**_ **publish them.' Take time to check and recheck your story for grammatical errors and consider how you want your story to unfold. I'm not saying my work is perfect (I know there are many out there that are a thousand times better than my story), but my first Fanfic 'Over The Limit' is a prime example of 'Just because you can, doesn't mean you should' as it's a cringe-worthy mess that I'm ashamed of. I tried making it a happy, fluffy story, but I am as close to a monster and a demon as a human can get; I don't do 'cute, happy and fluffy'… All my stories end up taking a dark, depressing turn at some point.**

 **One last thing (I promise this is the last negative thing I have to say (hopefully for a long while)); I cannot condone the unnecessary negative comments people make on a story, simply because they don't use Japanese honorifics or Japanese structure for names (Example; using –san, –sama, –kun etc. and writing 'Ichigo Kurosaki' instead of 'Kurosaki Ichigo'). Not everyone speaks Japanese and not everyone watches the Japanese Anime. I, for one, have only watched/read the English Anime/Manga, so I use Western titles and name formats, because I don't understand the Japanese honorifics. If you're going to use something you know nothing about, you're only going to make yourself look like a twat when you get it wrong, so I prefer not to do that and just go with the English way.**

 **If anyone has any issues with anything I have said, I apologise, feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss it in depth, but I felt like I had to address these issues, because I know I wouldn't want people telling me what I'm writing is good when it's really not, especially if it's rife with spelling mistakes and various other grammatical errors.**

 **Now then, onto more positive things – It's Review Time With Pastasaurus!**

 **Randomise The Universes; I'm pleased you've been enjoying the story so far. I hope you'll enjoy everything else I have in store as the story goes on. I will be using both the Bount Arc and Sword Beast Arc, so expect those at some point (Who knows, I might've already started them and you're just not aware of it yet. Dun, dun, duuuuuun!). I'm afraid I don't quite understand your last sentence, if you could clarify, that'd be great.**

 **FindingProvidence; I am honoured that you said this is your current favourite Bleach Fanfic. Maybe it'll become your all-time favourite eventually? Hey, I can dream, can't I? While it's not that I can't picture it (If anyone says they haven't thought about Momo in a sex scene then they are dirty liars), it's more that I can't 'defile' her by going in-depth and writing a full-on sex scene, as much as I'd like to. I think she's just too pure for anything like that. I'm pretty sure she was sleeping with Captain Aizen in Canon, so yeah… Think about** _ **that**_ **. As for the Arrancar Harem; no more than five… Maaaaaybe six, but that'll be pushing it. It's funny you say that, because I had considered Apacci and Sung-Sun to be a part of it, but not Mila Rose. I think she's a closet lesbian (Nothing wrong with that, I would like to mention), but Apacci is a fiery one and I think she'd be into a little bit of light BDSM, along with Nel (and Cirucci would even be a strong candidate for some more stronger BDSM. I've always thought she'd love the idea of being tied up and whipped or some shit. I mean her Zanpakutō IS a giant whip, technically), whereas Sung-Sun seems like the most feminine of the trio and would just be ideal for a standard sexual relationship; mainly gentle, loving sex but wouldn't mind getting a little rough (due to being a Hollow). Lilynette is a big no-no. While I think she's adorable and I love her temper (as she's a lot like Apacci), she's got the form of a pre-teen girl and there's no way I'm writing something that could be seen as pedophilia. I'm just going to have Lily as Ichigo's 'Little Sister', due to her 'age'. Also because in the English Anime, she's voiced by Kate Higgins, who also does the voice of Karin (On that note, if they do end up restarting the Anime and they don't have Kate voice Liltotto Lamperd, I will be so angry, because when I read the Manga, I can imagine her sounding exactly like Karin and Lily). As for personalities, I might tweak a few of them a little, simply to accommodate for the Harem. Like I said, Apacci is a fiery one and would be a good addition to the Harem along with Nel and Cirucci for BDSM, while Sung-Sun would be good simply for a change of pace that doesn't involve bondage or pain. Right now though, these are simply ideas and I'll reveal the Harem to you all later on in the story. Also, I'm sure you've realised by now that I'm a bit of a pervert. Don't judge me. I like what I like; or to put it another way 'I like what I do, I do what I like'. In any case, I hope you enjoy this Chapter and all other Chapters to come.**

 **Snowyassas1n; Let me start by saying I like you; I like you a lot. Not only did you give me the idea for Yin and Yang, but you've also given me one hell of an idea for the Sword Beast Arc. I can only hope you'll be impressed with what I've got in store. Ichigo's position in Las Noches…? Well, to be honest, I'm kinda torn with that thought. I'm not sure if I should have him as the Primera or Cero Espada. Cero would be in keeping with Canon, but I think it's a fucking stupid idea, as Zero isn't even a number; it's merely a placeholder. So, I might just keep the Espada Rankings as 1-10, instead of 0-9, like lots of other people do. I'm not 100% sure yet. Interesting notion for the title. I shall work to refine that idea and somehow include references to the moon and Hollows. I'll see what I can do. Feel free to PM me if you're struck by further inspiration.**

 **Darkaggie; I shall be including the Sword Beast Arc, but I don't think Muramasa will be in it, as I'll need to re-write it to make it different from the Anime (as it's not technically 'Canon Material'). Glad you're enjoying the story though!**

 **Lobisomen616; Thank you for clarification. You're a lot like me in that regard. When I'm reading Fanfics that have altered from Canon I find myself constantly comparing and contrasting the differences between Canon and the Fic in question, so I understand what you're getting at and I hope it doesn't take away from your enjoyment of the story as a whole. I honestly don't think it gives away** _ **too much**_ **from the first Chapter. All we know is Ichigo has Hollowfied, sided with Aizen and stabbed the Head Captain. How did this happen? Why did Ichigo side with Aizen? Was it really him, or has he been consumed by his Hollow? Is the Head Captain really dead? These are just a few of the questions that require answers and these, plus many more, will be answered as the story progresses. If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I like a challenge. I now have the opportunity to write an in-depth story that focusses on how Ichigo (possibly ('possibly' as in 'We don't rightly know if it was him, or if it's his Hollow that has taken over his body')) sides with Aizen and what his motivations are for doing so. If it is indeed Ichigo, then why did he choose to side with Aizen? Was he coerced, or did he willing side with him, much like Kaname did? If it's his Hollow, then how did this happen? What did Aizen do to make this happen, if he did anything at all? It might very well be that, while Aizen is trying to force White to the surface, Ichigo simply wasn't strong enough to contain him and he lost the battle for control. As you can see, that little bit of the story at the beginning has opened the door to many different questions and possibilities that I hope to explore as the story progresses, and I hope you'll be here to see it all happen. I wouldn't call it 'Critical Rambling and Mumbo-Jumbo', I thought it was a valid point (now that you clarified what you meant) and I'm glad you asked, so now you can understand (hopefully) why I took the path that I have and I hope that it's something you'll love to come along for the ride as I write this Fic.**

 **Zaraki Jaegerjaquez; For now, he is a Soul Reaper residing in the Soul Society. Eventually, he will become and Arrancar, as this is going to be an Arrancar fic, as I had always intended. I just thought it'd be good to give some depth and backstory to the whole thing and show you all how he became an Arrancar. Plus, it'll make it like a saga and I fucking love sagas. Just saying. Thank you for the kind words and yes, I shall put a disclaimer at the beginning of the chapters that have sex scenes and I'll also put headings in the chapter before and after the explicit content so you can skip past it at your discretion.**

 **Grim Reap3r; Thank you, I'm pleased to hear you think I don't disappoint when it comes to the content I write for you guys. I'll just pick and choose what sounds good and probably come up with something myself from the ideas I get from people, so fire away; and ideas of yours that I use will be given credit when I update, so don't worry about me stealing all the glory for myself. I'm glad you don't think it ludicrous that Ichigo is a Lieutenant already; I had to work hard to make it seem both plausible and convincing, using ideas and thoughts that stem from Canon material. I hope I captured the essence of the whole thing properly. Amazing how I can influence people's thoughts, isn't it? Perhaps I should call myself 'Kyōka Suigetsu' as I can make you think and see what I want you to see. Honestly, I never hated Momo. She's just a poor girl who's been manipulated by someone she idolises and was almost killed by them. When you idolise someone, it's hard to see them as anything but good. So, when I saw the scene where she's talking to Tōshirō while he's in the World of the Living, it really upset me because she still saw the good in Captain Aizen, despite the fact he's an evil son of a bitch. That being said, it really, REALLY fucked me up when it was revealed that it was Momo on the receiving end of Tōshirō's blade and not Aizen. That being said, I would really have liked to have seen that fight from Ichigo's perspective, as he would have seen the Captain's trying to kill Momo instead. One other thing; how the hell was Momo even able to hold off the likes of Captain Kyōraku and Soifon and the other combatants for so long and so well? Captain Kyōraku is the best swordsman in the Soul Society, so how could little Momo stand up to him? I really can't see Halibel as one of Ichigo's lovers; it's just too far-fetched. Friends, certainly, but there's no way I can see her breaking down her walls and opening up to a man; it's just not feasible in my eyes, so it's not going to happen, but that doesn't mean she'll stop her girls from pursuing Ichigo, if that's what they want; as long as her girls are happy, then Halibel is fine with things. That's how I see it.**

 **TheStormWriter123; Glad you liked the Chapter; I thought it'd be good to have Ichigo and Aizen close to one another, so Aizen can keep an eye on Ichigo and continue his underhanded schemes while Ichigo is none the wiser. Should be fun to write as the machine keeps turning. Yeah, I don't like making my characters too OOC (Tweaking them a little for story purposes is fine), because if you're going to do that, you might as well make an OC and go from there and they're written that way in Canon for a reason; re-writing them and giving them totally different mannerisms just detracts from who they are as a character and I feel like that ruins the story.**

 **DRADX; Is Ichigo really a 'bad guy'? Just because the Soul Society paints Hollows as evil doesn't necessarily make it so. Hollows think Soul Reapers are the 'bad guys'. It's all a matter of perspective. I don't think the whole 'No homo' was really necessary. I knew what you meant when you said what you did. I wasn't going to say 'Hahaha! You love guys! You're gay!' because of your choice of words. I don't condemn or make fun of people for their choices in life. If you're gay, that's cool. If you're straight, that's cool. What's not cool is making fun of others for those reasons or other less desirable 'reasons' (For example; making fun of women for no apparent reason and making rape jokes or comments about how women are 'supposed to be in the kitchen making me a sandwich'). I do not abide by such negative and derogatory comments, but other than that, I like to think I'm a pretty casual guy who is accepting of all people and their life choices or other things that define who they are. It's your life guys, I have no say in what you do, and neither does anyone else.**

 **Well, that's about it from me. Until next time; Pastasaurus, away!**


	10. The Rising Tide

Chapter Ten – The Rising Tide

Ichigo, Shūhei and Miyako had been running through the Senkaimon for what felt like a week, the little Hell Butterfly always managing to keep ahead of them, no matter how quickly they travelled. After their journey through the gate that linked the World of the Living to the Soul Society, Ichigo could see the exit point they were looking for.

Taking a deep breath, he barrelled through the bright, white light emanating from the gateway and took his first step into the World of the Living, or more specifically, his first step into Karakura Town since his death.

The sight that greeted Ichigo was one that gave him a multitude of feelings and emotions. The trio had entered Karakura Town in the early hours of the morning, the moon was high in the sky and the town was almost silent. Off in the distance, towards the South, Ichigo could see the Karakura Shopping District. All the lights in the buildings were still on, but that was no surprise, seeing how the Shopping District was practically open 24/7.

"This is it… I'm home again. I never thought I'd come back here." Ichigo said to himself, drinking in the sights of his home town before he felt a hand gently touch his shoulder. Ichigo turned to see that it was Miyako who had touched him.

"I'm sure this brings back memories for you Ichigo, but I would advise caution; if people who knew you were to see you, it would cause them great confusion. I suggest you activate you bracelet now, just to avoid the risk." Miyako said gently, giving Ichigo a soft smile.

"Yeah, you're right…" Ichigo said as he grabbed the small, black diamond on his bracelet between his finger and thumb before twisting it clockwise until it began to glow blue, signalling it was now working. "I suppose it would be weird if people saw me. It has only been a year or so since I died." Ichigo said as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well, actually, you're wrong. While it has been about eighteen months since you arrived in the Soul Society, it's only been about a month and a half in the World of the Living." Miyako explained, causing Ichigo to go wide-eyed.

"What?! How… How is that even possible?!" Ichigo exclaimed, clearly shocked by the revelation.

"Here's the thing; the World of the Living the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, even the Precipice World are all influenced by their own timeline. Each realm is separated by a temporal cloak that governs the span of time. The thicker the cloak, the slower time progresses, relative to each realm." Miyako said.

"Wait, what? 'Temporal cloak'? I'm afraid I don't follow." Ichigo responded, looking confused by Miyako's explanation.

"Ok, put it this way; the time that flows in the World of the Living we'll use as the comparative figure. For every second that passes here, ten seconds passes in the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. Basically, the temporal cloak around the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo is ten times denser than the World of the Living. Whereas the Dangai's temporal cloak is two thousand times denser." Miyako described, hoping her method of explaining would help Ichigo to understand.

"I think I get it now… So, for every hour that passes in the World of the Living, ten hours pass in the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo?" Ichigo asked.

"That's right, and roughly three months would have passed in the Precipice World." Miyako concluded.

"Right, I think I get it now. So, on to business; where should we start?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, I suppose the best place to begin would be the location of the last soul that went missing. Do we know where that is?" Shūhei asked, looking at Ichigo and Miyako.

"According to Akon, he said the last known location of a soul that vanished was at a place known as the Matsukura Hospital. I'm not quite sure where that is." Miyako said, looking around to get her bearings.

"Matsukura Hospital? I know where that is; it's in the centre of the Tsubakidai District. It's an old, abandoned hospital. You can't miss it." Ichigo said. "Let's see… It would appear the Senkaimon spat us out on the bank of the Karasu River, somewhere in the Northwester area of Kitakawase… Which means the hospital is kinda South-East of here." Ichigo concluded, as he assessed his surroundings to pinpoint their location.

"Wow, that's impressive. Maybe this is the reason the Head Captain sent you along; to be our guide." Shūhei said with a faint smirk.

"Probable, but unlikely. He'd need to know that I lived here and as far as I'm aware, he had no knowledge of that fact." Ichigo replied, shaking his head.

"Well, what about Captain Aizen? He suggested to the Head Captain that you should be the one to lead this mission." Shūhei said.

"Again, that's doubtful. If he knew, then he wouldn't have given me a specific set of instructions while I was here, and he wouldn't have given us these cloaking devices. I suppose it was just a simple coincidence…" Ichigo said, shrugging. "So, are we doing this or what?"

"Ichigo is right, we have a job to do, and we should do it quickly; Lord knows Kaien can't perform the duties of Captain, Lieutenant _and_ run the Squad's Training Exercises on his own." Miyako said with a smile.

"True; as talented as he is, I think even he'd struggle with that… And something tells me Kiyone and Sentarō would just make things worse by trying to 'help'." Ichigo said, shaking his head as the trio took off towards the Hospital with Flash Step.

"Don't be so hard on them, Ichigo. They just love their Captain and are fiercely loyal to him." Miyako explained.

"I know and that's great, but it's like they're trying to compete and prove one is better than the other. When that happens, there's no synergy within the ranks and morale can suffer because of it. When you have two Seated Officers trying to give orders and one contradicts the other, the Squad Members don't know who to follow and the whole thing can go to hell very quickly." Ichigo replied.

"Hmm, looks like you've picked up a lot in the short time you've been a Lieutenant. I'm impressed." Miyako said with a light chuckle.

"Thank Captain Aizen. He's taught me a lot. Hopefully, someday soon, he'll start training me to become even stronger. He says that if I complete this training he has in store for me, I'll be ready to become a Captain." Ichigo explained, getting a shocked look from Shūhei.

"Captain Aizen is going to teach you Bankai?!" He practically shouted.

"Huh? Bankai? What's that?" Ichigo asked.

"What do you mean 'What's that'? How can you not know what Bankai is?" Shūhei said, sighing exasperatedly. "Bankai is the second level a Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō can achieve, with Shikai being the first. To become a Captain, you need to achieve Bankai."

"Hmm… Interesting. Captain Aizen never said anything about that. Maybe he just intends to train me to a skill that is comparable to a Captain. I think, if he wanted me to learn a second level to my Zanpakutō, he would have told me." Ichigo reasoned.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right… Still, I can't believe you're a Lieutenant and didn't even know what Bankai is." Shūhei mumbled.

"Ah, shut up. Just because I'm a Lieutenant, doesn't mean I should know _everything_." Ichigo replied, slightly irritated.

"Ichigo, Shūhei, I don't mean to be a pain, but I hope you two aren't going to be like this the whole time we're here. You're almost as bad as Sentarō and Kiyone." Miyako said, looking at the two Officers in front of her.

"Oh, umm… I'm sorry, ma'am. Please forgive me." Shūhei said solemnly, clearly embarrassed by his actions.

"Holy crap, you're right! I had no idea that it was _that_ bad. That's an unsettling thought…" Ichigo said, making the comparison between his banter with Shūhei and the actions of Kiyone and Sentarō.

The trio travelled the rest of the way in silence; both Ichigo and Shūhei mildly embarrassed by their previous conversations to say anything further. After about fifteen minutes, they arrived outside Matsukura Hospital.

"Oh, now I can see why the last soul that disappeared was in this area…" Shūhei commented, looking at the sight before him.

The Hospital was a wreck. The windows had been either smashed or boarded up, the plants outside had long since died and been overrun by weeds, the sign at the entrance had fallen apart, and it now read _'Matura Sptia'_. Graffiti covered the walls with messages in spray paint, such as 'Yokochini 'Weasel' iz da bomb', 'Reiichi Ōshima is King', and 'Obuta is a pussy'. Another bit of graffiti caught Ichigo's attention, not only because it looked like it was done with a paintbrush and a bucket of paint, but because of the name. 'Keigo waz heyre' and next to it was a terrible picture of Keigo's face and a hand pulling the 'Peace' sign.

 _Well, it looks like Keigo's still an idiot…_ Ichigo thought to himself as he shook his head at the terrible picture and even more terrible grammar of his friend's 'graffiti'.

"What happened to this place? It's terrible. Is this the only hospital in the city?" Miyako asked, looking at Ichigo.

"It used to be, but that was before my dad opened his clinic next to our home, and before Dr. Ryūken Ishida built his own hospital about six or seven years ago. Even before then, this hospital was falling apart. It had its funding severely cut after three people died in a single week, and a further four people committed suicide in the following month. My dad said the place was cursed, and Dr. Ishida said my dad was an idiot. He's not wrong, but… Maybe when my dad said it was 'cursed', it's very possible he could have been referring to a Hollow?" Ichigo explained, looking up at the tall, dilapidated building in front of him.

"It's certainly possible. Places like this are notorious for being the home of Bound Spirits, and if a Soul Reaper doesn't come to perform Konsō, it can certainly turn into a Hollow, and still be bound to the place, ultimately making it the Hollow's hunting ground." Miyako rationalised.

"Bound Souls, huh? Definitely seems like the place they'd reside in…" Shūhei said to himself.

"Well, whatever it is that's causing the disappearances of these souls, we're not going to find it standing out here; let's go inside." Ichigo said, adjusting his Zanpakutō on his back.

Taking point, Ichigo lead Miyako and Shūhei into the hospital to see if they could find some answers as to what was happening to the souls in Karakura Town. As they stepped into the main foyer, they were assaulted by a rush of freezing cold air. They knew that was a bad sign. Something was here. They could feel it.

Drawing his Zanpakutō, Ichigo motioned to Miyako and Shūhei to do the same. Following his actions, both Miyako and Shūhei unsheathed their Zanpakutō's and were now on high alert. They began to make their way deeper into the hospital, passing the main desk and entering a corridor that took them to the Emergency Department. As they opened the door, one of which was hanging off its hinges, they entered the waiting room and came to an abrupt halt when Miyako spoke.

"Do you two smell that?" She whispered.

"Smell what? I can't smell anything." Ichigo replied, sniffing the air.

"Hey, now that you mention it… I _do_ smell something rather odd. Is… Is that sulphur?" Shūhei commented.

"Sulphur? Why does an abandoned hospital smell like sulphur?" Ichigo asked.

"Well to humans, who know little about the Spirit World, sulphur is believed to be a sign of a demonic presence in the area. However, those 'Demons' are actually Hollows." Miyako explained; her voice barely a whisper.

Ichigo was about to open his mouth to respond, but was stopped when an unholy roar ripped through the air. This could only mean two things; the Hollow who was responsible for these attacks had found another 'meal', or Ichigo and his team had been detected.

"We need to be careful. The Hollow must be somewhere above us." Miyako said, gesturing Ichigo and Shūhei towards a staircase that led upwards.

"I would guess it's somewhere on the top floor, if not the roof itself." Ichigo reasoned as they ascended the staircase. "If this Hollow is behind these attacks, it would stand to reason that it's quite large and would need a lot of space to freely move around."

As they climbed the stairwell, they heard another roar. This one, however, was much different. It sounded like the roar of a creature that was engaged in battle; a war cry of sorts. The roar was incredibly powerful, strong enough to shake the foundations of the building, albeit the building's foundations weren't that strong to begin with.

They cautiously made their way to the top of the hospital, to a door marked 'Roof Access' and opened it. The trio slowly walked out onto the roof and the sight before them confirmed their suspicions. On the other side of the roof was a large Hollow, crouched on top of the metal railing that ran around the perimeter of the roof. What they didn't anticipate, however, was the fact the Hollow was actually in battle with someone... Another Soul Reaper.

"Wait, is that a Soul Reaper? I thought there was no-one assigned to Karakura Town from Squad Thirteen." Shūhei asked, looking at Miyako.

"There isn't." She simply replied, looking at the unknown Soul Reaper as he dispatched the Hollow.

The Soul Reaper sheathed his Zanpakutō and turned around, and found himself face-to-face with Ichigo and his team.

"So, the Soul Society has decided to come for me? I'm surprised it's taken this long." He said, regarding the trio with an empty stare. He was a tall man with a lean build; his raven coloured hair was not parted, with a large portion hanging down the middle of his face. His Shihakushō was a slightly modified variant of the standard one and was similar to Shūhei's as it had no sleeves. He was wearing a white hooded shirt underneath.

"What do you mean 'come for you'? Who are you? Ichigo asked, taking a battle-ready stance. There was something about this man that he did not like.

"Considering you don't know who I am, then it's obvious you're not here for me… What are your orders?" He asked, not breaking his gaze with the three Soul Reapers.

"We're here to–" Shūhei began, before being interrupted.

"What makes you think we're going to answer to you? You answer our questions, and we might answer yours." Miyako said evenly, putting her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakutō.

"I'm afraid that cannot be allowed to happen." Another voice spoke, causing Ichigo and his allies to turn around to see a large, muscular man standing in the doorway they had come from moments ago.

"Oh, yeah? Why the hell not?" Ichigo growled, glaring at the man before him.

The man in question was incredibly tall and incredibly muscular. He was wearing a dark green vest, jeans and black combat boots. He had a full beard and sideburns, and his hair was styled into a large Mohawk. Around his neck was a pair of large headphones.

"Ichinose, Kariya is looking for you. It seems the prisoner has escaped again, and he would like your help in recapturing her." The large man said, talking to the mysterious Soul Reaper, and completely ignoring Ichigo.

"Very well… What about these Soul Reapers? Master Kariya wouldn't like it if we allowed them to live, Koga." Ichinose replied, looking at Ichigo and his friends.

"Those two are not important." Koga stated, before turning back to Ichigo's team. "I can see you require answers, but I'm afraid I cannot give you what you seek. However, as a sign of goodwill, I shall tell you who we are before we depart; the Soul Reaper is Maki Ichinose, and I am Gō Koga. I am a Bount." He said, before looking at Ichinose and nodding.

"What the hell is a Bount?" Ichigo asked, but received no response from the large man. "Hey! Are you listening to me?!" Ichigo shouted, after which Ichinose unsheathed his Zanpakutō and held it above his head. Ichigo, Miyako and Shūhei all drew their Zanpakutō, ready to fight.

"Flash and Burst; Nijigasumi!" Ichinose yelled, causing his Zanpakutō to emit a powerful, bright light, blinding Ichigo and his team.

"Goddamn it, what the hell?!" Shūhei shouted, putting his arm over his eyes to try and shield them from the light, but to no avail.

"Argh! I can't see anything! What do we do?" Ichigo growled, shutting his eyes in a vain attempt to block out the light from Ichinose's sword.

"Eradicate; Kage no Josei!" Miyako calmly called out.

A second later, the blinding light had vanished, along with Ichinose and Koga. Ichigo, rubbing his eyes to make sure they were still functioning, looked around the rooftop and couldn't find a trace of either man.

"Damn it! They got away! What the hell kind of attack was that anyway?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't know, but it sure disappeared quickly. Aside from the blinding effect, it wasn't very good." Shūhei commented, as he sheathed his Zanpakutō.

"Actually, I can explain why the light suddenly disappeared." Miyako spoke up, resulting in Ichigo and Shūhei to turn and look at the Third Seat of Squad Thirteen. What the saw shocked them.

In Miyako's hand was a blade of shadow – literal shadow. The hilt was the only tangible part of the sword; the blade itself was rippling and emitting wisps of darkness, almost like it was black fire.

"Whoa… What is that, Miyako?" Ichigo asked, pointing to the blade in question.

"This is my Zanpakutō; Kage no Josei. It has the ability to absorb light from the surrounding area and convert it into shadow, which is then imbued into the blade, making it pure shadow. Not only can it convert light into shadow, I can force the blade to become tangible and intangible at will. Watch." Miyako said and not a second later, stabbed Shūhei through the chest and through the heart.

"Miyako?! What have you done?!" Ichigo shouted in horror as he watched the blade go through Shūhei's chest and exited his back.

"Relax, Ichigo. You're alright, aren't you Shūhei?" Miyako said with a smile as she looked at Shūhei, whose face was contorted into a look of shock, before he realised what had happened.

"Hey, you're right. I don't feel anything!" Shūhei said, trying to grab the sword, only to have his fingers pass through the blade of shadow, some of the wisps it was emanating wrapping around his fingers before dissipating a second later.

"Now watch…" Miyako said as she removed the sword from Shūhei's chest, turned around, and swung it at the metal guardrail.

Ichigo and Shūhei watched in awe as the blade effortlessly sliced through the thick metal, leaving a trail of shadow behind as it was swung.

"There; as you can see, I can manipulate the blade's physical aspect and can make it a solid, or an intangible object." Miyako said as she sealed her Zanpakutō and sheathed it.

"Wow… That's incredible. That must be a very powerful Zanpakutō." Ichigo commented.

"Kaien and Captain Ukitake have said the same thing, but it's nowhere near as powerful as it can be; I have yet to fully master its entire range of capabilities." Miyako said simply.

"Right, well we can discuss that later, but for now; what the hell was that? What's a Soul Reaper doing in the World of the Living that doesn't seem to have any reason to be here and who was that other guy?" Ichigo asked, his mind trying to comprehend everything that just transpired.

"That large man, Gō Koga, said his name was Maki Ichinose… Where do I know that name from…?" Miyako said, tapping her chin in thought. "Oh, dear…" She said, as she realised where she knew the name from.

"What? What is it?" Shūhei asked.

"Maki Ichinose was a Soul Reaper that abandoned the Soul Society many years ago. He was outraged over the death of his Captain and wanted vengeance, but there was nothing he could do, so he simply left the Soul Society." Miyako explained.

"He abandoned the Soul Society because his Captain died? That's a little over dramatic, isn't it?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow at his cousin.

"If one doesn't know the circumstances around his death, then you'd be right. You see, Maki Ichinose used to serve in Squad Eleven, under the former Captain; Kenpachi Kiganjō." Miyako began.

"Wait, the last Squad Eleven Captain was also called Kenpachi?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, it is a tradition that the Captain of Squad Eleven takes the name 'Kenpachi', as a sign that they are the most powerful combatant in the Soul Society. The First Kenpachi was the one who created this tradition over a thousand years ago. Captain Zaraki is the Eleventh Kenpachi, and the only way to take the mantle is by killing the previous Kenpachi." Miyako continued.

"Soooo… What? Captain Zaraki killed this other Kenpachi? That doesn't sound like a big deal; if that's the way it has been for more than a millennium." Ichigo said, scratching his head.

"Well, that's just it. I'm sure you're well aware that there are three ways a Soul Reaper can become a Captain, yes?" Miyako asked.

"Uhh… Yes?" Ichigo said, staring blankly at Miyako and Shūhei. Miyako chuckled and Shūhei shook his head.

"The first and most common method is the Captain Proficiency Test. Any candidate, who wishes to become a Captain, must perform the Bankai Release in front of the Head Captain and three other existing Captains. The second is through personal recommendation. To become a Captain through this method, you must have a personal recommendation from at least six Captains, and then have at least three of the remaining seven Captains approve the recommendation." Miyako explained, causing Ichigo to nod his head in understanding.

"The third and final method, however, is considered to be barbaric and hardly ever used as a means to become a Captain, and only Squad Eleven utilises this method. To become a Captain through the third method, one must openly challenge the Captain of a Squad and face them in combat in front of at least two hundred Squad Members. As I'm sure you've figured out, this is how Kenpachi Zaraki became Captain." Miyako continued.

"Yeah, but I still don't see why this Ichinose guy would abandon his duties as a Soul Reaper because Captain Zaraki killed the last Kenpachi." Ichigo said.

"Are you aware of the fact Captain Zaraki doesn't even have a Shikai, let alone a Bankai?" Miyako asked. "With that in mind, when he faced the previous Kenpachi in battle, he killed him in a single blow." Miyako said, causing Ichigo to pale slightly.

"H-He killed him in one b-blow?!" Ichigo almost shouted; his voice full of disbelief.

"Yes, and after that, Ichinose wanted justice for his fallen Captain, a man he was fiercely loyal to and admired more than anyone else in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. However, the ruling was absolute; Zaraki had defeated his opponent in open combat before two hundred Squad Members, there was nothing he could do to change the decision. So, he demanded to fight Captain Zaraki to get revenge. Captain Zaraki merely laughed him off and told him he was not a challenge, so he refused his challenge. I believe Maki Ichinose felt cheated by the Soul Society, so he abandoned them and went to the World of the Living in a form of self-imposed exile." Miyako concluded.

"Wow… That's crazy. Then what about that Koga? He said he was a Bount. What are they?" Ichigo asked.

"If I was to hazard a guess, I'd say he's definitely human. How else would you explain the fact he ignored you and said 'those two'? Ichigo, your bracelet has been turned on since we got here. It makes it impossible for Humans to see you." Miyako said, pointing to the bracelet on Ichigo's wrist; the diamond still glowing a bright shade of blue.

"Oh, well that explains it… I thought he was just being a dick. Anyway, what makes these Bounts so special, and why is a Soul Reaper working for them?" Ichigo asked.

"That I do not know. But, it's very possible the Daireisho Archives will have something about them. I'll ask Captain Ukitake if he can dig up any information the Archives might have on these Bounts when we return to the Seireitei. Outside the Central 46, only Head Captain Yamamoto and Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake have access to the Daireisho Archives. Limited as it may be, they might be able to find something." Miyako replied, getting a nod from Ichigo.

"Alright, so what does that mean for us? It would appear we have an enemy in Ichinose, if not these 'Bounts'." Shūhei commented.

"Well, maybe not… Remember what Koga said to Ichinose? Something about a person named 'Kariya' and a prisoner that has escaped. If we find that prisoner, we might be able to get some answers." Ichigo said, getting a nod of agreement from Miyako.

"Ichigo is right. We need allies and you know what they say; 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'." Miyako stated.

"Alright, at least we have some sort of a plan. But, first things first; we need to find somewhere suitable to stay. Our best bet would be somewhere in Naruki City, so I don't have to wear this damn bracelet all the time and remain invisible to everyone just in case we run into someone I knew. In fact, I know the perfect place…" Ichigo said with a smirk.

"Oh, really? Where would that be?" Shūhei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There are heaps of apartments in Naruki City; most of them are vacant, due to inflation and renting costs going up. It's unlikely they'll all become occupied while we're here… So, let's go." Ichigo said with a smirk before vanishing in a blur of Flash Step, imitating Captain Aizen.

Taken by surprise, Miyako and Shūhei needed a moment to process what had just happened before they took off and gave chase to Ichigo with Flash Steps of their own.

Up in the night sky, above the roof of Matsukura Hospital, the sky slowly began to tear itself apart, revealing a black, gaping maw in which a hooded figure appeared. He had seen and heard all of what had transpired on the roof of the hospital, and had now become more interested.

"Hmph, so that's the brat Ichimaru told me about? Looks like a little bitch to me. I'd probably end up killing him by accident; he looks so weak and pathetic." He grumbled, before he began to remember the conversation he had with Gin just a few hours ago.

* * *

"Alright, this is what you need to know… Grimmjow." Gin said as the door closed behind him. "Captain Aizen has a special interest in a certain orange haired Soul Reaper, due to the fact he has some form of latent Hollow Powers within him. It's apparent to him that the boy needs to come into contact with a Hollow and a powerful one at that." Gin explained.

"Yeah, so? What has this got to do with me?" Grimmjow snorted as he dropped on to his bed and began looking at the ceiling.

"Well, I thought you'd relish the opportunity to get into a fight, especially if Captain Aizen has asked you to do so." Gin regarded the blue haired Arrancar with a long, thin smile.

"Yeah, as if he specifically asked me to do it? Why don't you go ask that asshole Baraggan? I'm sure Ulquiorra would love the opportunity to 'serve' Aizen. What about that shithead Nnoitra? That fucker is far more insane than I am." Grimmjow responded, not looking away from the ceiling.

"Well, I did ask Baraggan and Ulquiorra, yes. Baraggan outright refused after I told him he'd have to bleed on the boy. Ulquiorra just wasn't interested, and as for Nnoitra… You are right in saying his sanity is questionable, but I had considered it punishment for what he did to poor Nel… However, I'm afraid he'd take it as a reward and start killing more female Arrancar, not that we have many to begin with in the first place…" Gin mused.

"What happened to Nel?" Grimmjow asked, sitting up and looking at the Soul Reaper in front of him.

"Oh, that's right… You're not an Espada, so you wouldn't know. Nnoitra killed her. Sorry." Gin shrugged as he gave Grimmjow the news.

"What…?" Grimmjow breathed. It was no secret to any Espada or Arrancar that Grimmjow liked Nelliel. He'd always act out when she was around, in hopes it'd get her attention. It did, but for the wrong reasons.

"I'm sorry you had to hear it from me, but at least you heard about it now." Gin said flatly.

"Where is he? I'll kill that motherfucker!" Grimmjow roared.

"Ah, ah, ah! Captain Aizen doesn't want any serious harm to come to his Lieutenant. You are to knock him around a bit and make sure you bleed on him. Nothing more." Gin said, blocking Grimmjow's path to the door.

"Fuck off, Ichimaru! I was talking about Nnoitra! I'll kill him!" Grimmjow shouted again as he tried to shove Gin aside, but found himself being slammed into the wall, arm pinned behind his back.

"Come now, Grimmy. Do you really think you stand a chance against Nnoitra? Eighth Espada or not, he's still an Espada and you are not. Stop for a moment and think. If you really cared for Nel, then you would think about what you're trying to do. Let's say I let you go and fight him, what will happen?" Gin asked.

Grimmjow said nothing and tried to wrestle his arm free from Gin's grip. When that didn't work, he tried using Sonido, only for Gin to respond with Flash Step and slam him into a wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Alright, since you seem to refuse to talk, then listen. If I let you go and fight him, you're going to die; no matter the outcome. As an Espada, he's incredibly powerful; you'll be no match for him. Even if you got lucky and killed him, Captain Aizen would have you killed. I'm sure you know that killing one of his Espada is treason, yes?" Gin said, tightening the grip he had on Grimmjow. "However… I might be able to help you get your revenge."

"Bollocks. How would you be able to help me? More importantly, _why_ would you want to help me?" Grimmjow asked, remaining motionless to signal to Gin that he had calmed down, resulting in the Soul Reaper Captain freeing the blue haired Arrancar from his grip.

"Well, I would want to help you because I actually liked Nel. She wasn't a violent psychopath or a narcissist like everyone else. Plus she was highly intelligent and kind. We'd often sit and talk about anything and play a game, like Checkers." Gin said, smiling.

"I asked how and why you'd want to help me, not for your life story." Grimmjow commented, rubbing his wrist.

"My apologies." Gin said with an over exaggerated bow, causing Grimmjow to roll his eyes. "If you do this one little thing for me, I'll be sure to put in a good word for you with Captain Aizen. Since we're down an Espada, a new position will surely be available and I'll make sure you're at the top of the list. Not only that, but becoming an Espada will allow you to get revenge on Nnoitra, without you yourself being executed for treason. So, what do you say?"

Grimmjow looked at Gin for a moment. It was no secret that Grimmjow wanted nothing more to be an Espada. He always considered himself to be a King; being an Espada would definitely bring him closer to that status. If anything, Gin's comment about getting revenge on Nnoitra made the deal seem all the more sweeter.

"If you're having trouble deciding on whether or not this little mission would be worth your time, allow me to add another bargaining chip to the table; Captain Aizen intends on having his Lieutenant join our ranks after he brings his inner Hollow out from the depths of his soul. This means he'll most likely become an Arrancar too and his power will grow tenfold, and his current growth rate is incredible as it is. If he was to become an Arrancar, his power would be even greater, and then you and he could battle it out to your heart's content." Gin's smile widened as he saw Grimmjow's reaction.

"Alright, Ichimaru; you've got a deal." Grimmjow said with a dark grin.

"Wonderful! Now, here's everything you'll need and I'm sure I don't have to tell you he's unaware of what's happening, so if you could keep the idle chatter to a minimum while fighting him, that would be great." Gin said as he pulled out a familiar black cloak and handed it to Grimmjow.

"What's this?" Grimmjow asked, holding up the cloak.

"Oh, that's just something that'll hide your spiritual pressure signature. We can't have the Soul Society be alerted to your presence, can we?" Gin said.

Grimmjow simply nodded before he put the cloak on and looked at Gin.

"What?" Gin asked.

"Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to open a Garganta for me? I'm not an Espada, so I can't do it myself." Grimmjow said with a scowl.

"Oh, right, of course." Gin said, pulling out the device he and Kaname use to open Garganta. Gin watched as Grimmjow walked past him and into the chaos of reishi that was the Garganta. "Good luck, Grimmy! And don't forget; don't kill the boy and make sure you bleed on him!" Gin shouted as the portal snapped shut. "I do hope he heard me…" Gin said to himself.

* * *

Grimmjow knew that his task was important, but that didn't make it any less of a pain. He really wanted to tell Gin to shove it, but he knew there was too much at stake. He knew Gin had Aizen's ear and if he wanted, he could easily convince Aizen to make Grimmjow an Espada. He knew he had to get revenge on Nnoitra for killing Nel, and this seemed like the easiest way; beat the shit out of some kid, bleed on him, and then get the hell out of there; a simple task. Grimmjow knew he could do it.

He silently tailed Ichigo and his friends towards Naruki City, thankful that Gin had given him this cloak that essentially made him undetectable to those around him. When they had arrived at an apartment building, Grimmjow was tempted to attack there and then, but he knew better than that. To attack now would certainly give him the element of surprise, but he couldn't risk alerting the other two to his presence. He could very well kill them, but he received no orders to kill, and disobeying Aizen was a death sentence in that of itself.

No, for now, Grimmjow would simply stay hidden and observe his prey, like the seasoned hunter he was. He would wait for an opportune time to strike; most likely when Ichigo was alone and far away from his allies.

He watched as Ichigo and his team entered one of the empty apartments and closed the door behind them, before he vanished into the night with the buzz of Sonido. He knew an opening to strike would present itself soon enough, he just had to keep an eye out for that 'golden opportunity'.

* * *

"Huh… Nice digs." Shūhei commented as he entered the apartment with Ichigo and Miyako.

The apartment was very large and open-plan. They were on the top floor of the building and, as such, had a large balcony that gave sweeping views of both Naruki and Karakura. The apartment itself was very modern and upscale, with hardwood floors, marble worktops in the kitchen and, best of all; the apartment was fully furnished and had two large bedrooms.

"Yeah, these apartments were built several years ago and were meant for anyone of the Middle-Class, but after the Stock Markets crashed not long after they were built, they only became affordable for the Upper-Class. Shame, really." Ichigo commented as Shūhei immediately went to the kitchen.

"Hey, there's no food in here." He said with disappointment.

"Weren't you listening to a word I said? I just told you these apartments are mostly vacant. Why in the hell would there be food in an empty building?" Ichigo said with a scowl as he slammed the door to the refrigerator.

"Well, someone's gonna have to go get food. We can't work on an empty stomach." Shūhei said as he walked away from the kitchen and jumped onto the large, leather sofa in the lounge area.

"God, you're such a child. Fine, fine, alright; I'll go get some food. Just… Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." Ichigo said as he walked to the door.

"C'mon… Don't you trust me?" He asked.

"Hmm… Hey, Miyako! Keep an eye on Shūhei. I don't want any unwanted attention being drawn to us." Ichigo called out.

"Not a problem, Ichigo! We'll be fine here." Miyako said, popping her head out of one of the bedrooms and smiling.

"I certainly hope so…" Ichigo mumbled as he left the apartment.

Ichigo sighed and shook his head as he began to head towards the stairs that led to the ground floor of the apartment building. After a few minutes, he was walking down the street when he noticed something unusual.

Further down the way, he saw a young woman running towards him, frequently looking over her shoulder, as if she was being chased by someone. Because she was too busy looking over her shoulder, she crashed right into Ichigo, knocking both of them to the ground.

"Oww! Dammit, that hurt!" Ichigo groaned, holding the back of his head.

"Hey, you! You're a Soul Reaper, yes? I need your help!" The woman cried frantically, shaking Ichigo.

Ichigo looked at the woman who was currently sat on top of him. After she saw him open his eyes, she stopped shaking him. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a green, large collared shirt and dark coloured vest. She was also wearing a red tie and Ichigo also noticed a silver bracelet on her right wrist and a silver claw on the middle finger of her left hand.

"C'mon! Stop staring and say something!" She cried out, slapping Ichigo's face.

"Oww! What the hell did you do that for?!" He shouted, rubbing his cheek.

"There you are. I've been looking for you, Yoshino. Master Kariya is most displeased with you, but he will forgive your transgressions, _if_ you return to the manor with me at once." A male voice spoke with an air of superiority about it.

The owner of the voice emerged from the shadows and Ichigo could only come to one conclusion about this man; he was a total douchebag. He had short, brown hair and a thick goatee. He was wearing formal-looking clothes; a white button-up shirt, a tie and a dark sleeveless overcoat. In one of the pockets of his overcoat was a golden pocket watch on a golden chain. He had a sinister smile on his face that seemed to get bigger with every step he took.

"Fuck you, Utagawa! You must be even more insane than I thought if you think I'm going to go anywhere with you!" Yoshino growled.

"My, my… Such a vile tongue. I'm sure Master Kariya won't mind if I cut it out!" Utagawa grinned, pulling out his pocket watch.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but I'm not letting you take this woman, and I'm not about to let you lay a finger on her!" Ichigo declared, unsheathing his Zanpakutō.

"A Zanpakutō? You must be a Soul Reaper, hmm? I've never had the pleasure of devouring a Soul Reaper. I was always hoping Kariya would grow tired of that fool Ichinose and let me dine on him." Utagawa said, licking his lips slowly.

"Wow, you're all kinds of fucked up, aren't you? I'm guessing you're one of those Bounts, aren't you?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, so you know of us? Who was it that told you? Was it Koga? That man has always been too kind for his own good. He should have killed you when he had the chance. A mistake that I shall now rectify! Zeige Dich; Freid!" Utagawa yelled, whipping the chain of his pocket watch and to Ichigo's shock, it transformed into a black and gold striped snake.

"What the hell…?!" Ichigo said, looking at the snake that had now coiled itself around Utagawa's neck.

"This is my Doll, Freid. Isn't she marvellous?" Utagawa said with a sadistic grin.

"Looks like a bitch to me…" Ichigo snorted. "Disrupt; Zangetsu!"

A torrent of spirit energy surrounded Ichigo, but it wasn't blue. It was black.

* * *

" _ **Oh, yeah! Let's tear shit up, motherfucker!"**_ White Ichigo yelled from within Ichigo's Inner World as Ichigo released his Zanpakutō.

" _What's got you so excited, and how are you able to alter Ichigo's spirit energy?"_ Zangetsu asked, looking at the other half of him with curiosity.

" _ **Because I'm a goddamn badass, that's how! Can't you feel it? Ever since we arrived here, something has been rising within… Something powerful… Whatever it is, it's giving me a power boost and allowing me to exert my will over our King… But, with all this power… Soon… I WILL BE KING!"**_ White Ichigo roared as he gripped his own inverted form of Zangetsu and allowed his spirit energy to explode within Ichigo's Inner World.

* * *

"Hey… Did you feel that?" Shūhei asked as he sat up from his spot on the sofa.

"Yes, but something's not right. That was definitely Ichigo's spiritual pressure, but something about it seems off…" Miyako said, looking up from the book she was reading.

"You're right. I've felt this before, except this time… It's much more powerful." Shūhei stood up and grabbed his Zanpakutō out from the umbrella stand by the door.

"What do you mean 'you've felt this before'? Where are you going?" Miyako asked as Shūhei tossed Miyako's Zanpakutō to her.

"The last time I felt this, it was when those Hollows attacked us when we were here on a training exercise. Ichigo destroyed one with a single blow and his spiritual pressure was dark… I felt like it was trying to suffocate me… But now though, it's much more powerful. I'm going to help him." Shūhei said as he opened the door and bolted down the hallway towards the stairwell.

"Shūhei, wait!" Miyako shouted, running after the Tenth Seat. She had a very bad feeling about this…

* * *

"What the fuck…? Is that? Nah, it can't be…" Grimmjow muttered to himself. "Still, whatever the fuck this is, it's powerful… And I wanna fight it." Grimmjow grinned darkly and vanished in a buzz of Sonido.

He knew _exactly_ who it was; he just refused to accept that they were _this_ powerful. Even when he examined him with his Pesquisa, Grimmjow couldn't detect anything extraordinary from Ichigo. This, however, was something different.

Despite not being an Espada, Grimmjow was one of the most adept users of Pesquisa. Not as adept as Ulquiorra, but he still knew how to differentiate and isolate powerful entities. Ichigo's current power level far exceeded that of Ulquiorra, and might even rival that of Baraggan. Grimmjow could hardly contain his excitement. Gin had told him that both Baraggan and Ulquiorra had passed on the opportunity to fight Ichigo, and he knew Nnoitra would be pissed that he got overlooked for this task.

Now understanding the gravity of the situation, Grimmjow knew that if he did what was required of him, a seat at the Espada's Table was all but assured. With that in mind, he only had one thought running through his mind.

 _I'm going to kill you, Nnoitra… For what you did to Nel, I'm going to tear you apart, piece by piece…_

* * *

"Goodness, that was a rather interesting spectacle. Are you sure you're really a Soul Reaper? That spiritual pressure was much too dark for an average Soul Reaper." Utagawa commented, looking at Ichigo and his Zanpakutō.

"I'm no 'average Soul Reaper'. I'm the Lieutenant of Squad Five." Ichigo stated, raising his Zanpakutō and preparing to attack Utagawa.

"A Lieutenant? Oh, this is most excellent! Once I destroy you and consume your soul, Kariya will realise he has no need of that suck-up Ichinose, and then I'll devour his soul too. I will become _unstoppable_!" Utagawa roared as he grabbed Freid and started to swing her around, cutting up the ground and the buildings around him, every strike he made, a grey snake slithered out and charged towards Ichigo.

With a single sweeping blow, Ichigo sliced several snakes in half and they all crumbled into dirt. Some had returned to various metal objects from which they had been created, with the exception that they had now been sliced in half.

"Is that it? That's all you can do? You're never going to be able to beat me with that kind of power!" Ichigo yelled as he charged at the man before him.

As Ichigo reached Utagawa and took a swing at him, he was shocked to see Utagawa had used Freid to block his attack, sparks sent flying as blade grinded against… Well, Ichigo couldn't say what it was exactly. It looked like metal, but he didn't think metal could be swung about like a whip.

"Oh… That's most disappointing." Utagawa tutted condescendingly. "I thought, what with you being a Lieutenant, you'd take a more strategic approach to battle and not just charge in like an imbecile. I think you're a lot like that brute who killed Ichinose's beloved Captain… It certainly sounds like it." Utagawa commented, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Heh… And how do you know this wasn't part of my plan?" Ichigo said, looking up at Utagawa with a dark smirk. "Getsuga… Tenshō!"

From point-blank range, Ichigo fired off a powerful Getsuga Tenshō, the pulse of blue spirit energy hitting Utagawa and exploding immediately, causing a massive plume of smoke. From within the smoke screen, Utagawa was thrown back immediately, while Ichigo was mostly unharmed.

"Ichigo! Ichigo, are you alright?" Ichigo could hear Miyako shouting his name from within the smoke cloud. After it dissipated, Ichigo saw both Miyako and Shūhei standing before him, swords drawn and ready to fight.

"Urgh, you smug little bastard…!" Utagawa coughed as he stood up. His clothes were badly torn and burned, much like his torso and there was a wound on his head that was bleeding strongly. "Forget Kariya! I'll just eat your soul now and then kill the woman! He's not powerful enough to stop me! Not after I eat you _and_ your friends!"

Utagawa began to laugh, but all that came out of his mouth was a pained groan and a trickle of blood. Looking down slowly, he saw something he never would have expected to see. A hand was sticking out of his stomach. It was covered in blood. _His_ blood.

As soon as the hand was removed, a large amount of blood splashed onto the ground as Utagawa fell to his knees. That would have been the end of it; that _should_ have been the end of it, but the man responsible for the sneak attack didn't take too kindly to others hunting his prey.

With a sadistic smile, Grimmjow shoved his hand back into the hole he had created and ripped the man's intestines out and began to fashion a horrific, make-shift noose out of his entrails. His smile getting even wider, he slipped the noose around the Bount's neck and tightened it, slowly choking the man to death with his own guts.

Utagawa had died long before the asphyxiation set in. The exsanguination and removal of his intestines saw to that, but that didn't stop Grimmjow from stringing the man up from the top of a streetlight before turning his attention to Ichigo.

"So, have I got your attention now?" He asked, opening his blood soaked arms in presentation.

"What the… What the hell did you do that for?!" Ichigo shouted, causing Grimmjow to laugh.

"That's what happens when you try steal my prey from me. That and I felt like I needed to make a statement, to put you on notice." Grimmjow retorted, grinning.

"Man, this guy is all sorts of fucked up…" Shūhei said, looking noticeable pale after what he had just witnessed.

"That's putting it mildly… There's only one word to describe this beast; evil." Miyako whispered. She couldn't bear to watch Grimmjow murder Utagawa, and had looked away as soon as he thrust his hand into the man's gut a second time.

"I appreciate the kind words, woman, but I'm afraid you're not my type. I have a type and she's… Well, she's not you." Grimmjow laughed, bowing overdramatically to Miyako.

"Who are you, and what the hell do you want? Did that Kariya send you? Are you after Yoshino too?" Ichigo asked, raising his Zanpakutō.

"Tch, as if. These Bounts, or whatever the fuck you call them, are pussies. You really think I'm so weak like they are? I don't give a fuck about the woman, do whatever the hell you want with her, _you_ are my prey tonight!" Grimmjow shouted, pointing at Ichigo.

"What the hell do you want me for? I don't even know you." Ichigo said, raising an eyebrow.

"You think that matters? To a Hollow, the only thing that matters is raw power! And let me tell you something, I could smell your power from Hueco Mundo the second you stepped into this cesspool. You really think I'd pass up an opportunity to show everyone I'm the King of Hueco Mundo?!" Grimmjow yelled as he drew his sword.

"You're a Hollow? That… That's not possible. You don't even have a mask. That also looks like a Zanpakutō. What _are_ you?" Miyako asked, looking at the cloaked figure.

"No mask, huh…? Well, you're half right." Grimmjow commented as he removed his hood to reveal a head a bright blue hair and a mask fragment on his right cheek that looked like a jaw and set of fangs. "I'm what you'd call an Arrancar; a Hollow who has removed their mask to attain powers similar to that of a Soul Reaper. Here, let me show you."

Grimmjow charged directly at Miyako, intent on killing her in a single strike, but was blocked by Ichigo and his large Zanpakutō.

"Stay away from her!" Ichigo roared. "I'll kill you if you touch any of them!"

"Heh, well aren't you the over-protective one? You sicken me." Grimmjow spat, grabbing the back of Ichigo's head and smashing his forehead into Ichigo's face.

Ichigo was momentarily stunned, but recovered quickly. He began to swing his sword and attack Grimmjow, but was easily blocked. Ichigo was putting large amounts of power into his attacks, but Grimmjow was easily deflecting them. To Ichigo's further irritation, he noticed that Grimmjow was only using one hand.

"Is this the best you can do? Where's that power that I felt ages ago? It was dark, explosive… Powerful. This? This is pathetic! Come on, Soul Reaper!" Grimmjow goaded, trying to force Ichigo to fight using his _full_ strength.

Letting out a loud cry, Ichigo went on the offensive again, putting more power into his strikes. He noticed Grimmjow had to use two hands to fight now. Grimmjow was on the back foot, but he was playing the defensive game on purpose. He had his orders and he wasn't about to overstep.

Ichigo feigned an attack, causing Grimmjow to block and disappeared with Flash Step. His efforts were rewarded when he cut open Grimmjow's side as he flew past him on his exposed flank, his sword ripping through flesh.

"Tch, that's all? A tiny little scratch? Pathetic." Grimmjow looked at the 'wound' Ichigo had inflicted; it was a small gash that had but a small trickle of blood running from it.

Ichigo watched in shock as the small cut he inflicted on his opponent vanish almost immediately, as if the cut hadn't even existed.

"What the hell? How is that even possible?" Ichigo asked, looking at Grimmjow with surprise.

"You like it? Instant Regeneration. All Arrancar and Menos Class Hollows have this ability. Some are more enhanced than others, but it's still enough for me to win this fight without getting so much as a scratch!" Grimmjow grinned as he lifted up his hand and began to charge a ball of red spirit energy.

As quickly as he charged it, Grimmjow discharged the ball directly at Ichigo. The beam of red energy impacted with Ichigo's Zanpakutō as he tried to disperse the blast, but to no avail. The blast of energy ended up consuming Ichigo and resulting in an explosion.

"How do you like _that_?! It's called a Cero! The best thing about that is I can make it much, _much_ stronger! Wanna see?!" Grimmjow yelled as he charged another Cero in the palm of his hand, adding more and more power to it, causing it to begin crackling with red lightning.

As Grimmjow fired off his more powerful Cero, Ichigo took no chances. He couldn't block his opponent's last attack; he knew he'd have no chance with this one.

"Getsuga… **Tenshō!** " Ichigo roared, discharging a powerful Getsuga in an attempt to counter the incoming Cero. This Getsuga, however, wasn't a normal blue one. This one was _black_.

The Black Getsuga sliced through the Cero like it was nothing. Taking Grimmjow by surprise, the blue-haired Arrancar had no time to counter or even avoid the attack, so he just simply stood there and allowed the strike to engulf him, a massive explosion being created upon impact.

"What in the hell…? That wasn't a normal Getsuga…" Shūhei said, watching the battle unfold in surprise.

"What do you mean 'normal'?" Miyako asked.

"That's right; you've never seen it… Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō is undoubtedly a powerful attack, but it's normally blue. This black one… Something feels wrong. It's too powerful… Almost evil." Shūhei said, not taking his eyes off the two combatants even once.

"Ichigo…" Miyako whispered, watching her cousin with a worried look on her face.

After firing off the Black Getsuga, Ichigo collapsed to one knee and held a hand over the left side of his face. The attack had taken him by surprise and his head was now pounding in immense pain.

"Wha… What the hell…" Ichigo said to himself as he clutched the left side of his face in pain. He could feel the vision in his left eye start to blur and vanish.

" _ **That was PATHETIC! You can't even stand up to this bitch properly! Even when I loan you some of my power, you can't handle it! YOU'RE WEAK! Looks like it's up to me now…"**_ Ichigo could hear the voice of his White Counterpart yelling at him inside his head.

"Shūhei… Miyako… Take the woman and return to the apartment… I don't want you to get hurt because of me…" Ichigo said, not looking over at the pair of them.

"No way! We need to help you fight this guy!" Shūhei said, pulling out his Zanpakutō.

" **THAT WASN'T A REQUEST! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!"** Ichigo roared, turning to look back at Shūhei and the sight that greeted him caused him to freeze in fear. Ichigo's left eye was yellow.

"Miyako… Let's go." Shūhei said, leaning down to pick up Yoshino and picked her up bridal style.

"But we–" Miyako began.

"No. Ichigo has this. We'd only get in the way." Shūhei said before he disappeared with Flash Step.

Miyako turned to look at Ichigo one last time. He was struggling to get to his feet. It looked like he was about to collapse at any minute. With a look of worry on her face, she followed Shūhei back to the apartment with Flash Step.

"So, you finally going to start taking this fight seriously, Soul Reaper?" Grimmjow asked with a cough as the dust from the Black Getsuga had settled.

Ichigo could see the damage his attack had caused. Grimmjow's jacket had been ripped to shreds and there was a huge burn mark cutting across his chest from the left shoulder down to the right hip. He was also covered in his own blood.

Wiping the excess blood off his torso and onto his hand, he looked at the dripping blood and grinned evilly.

 _If Gin wants me to bleed on this bitch, then I'll bleed on him_. Grimmjow thought as he vanished in a burst of Sonido and flew right at Ichigo. Raising his bloody hand, Grimmjow smashed his hand against Ichigo's face, covering him in blood.

* * *

" _ **This feeling… It's INCREDIBLE! I feel so powerful!"**_ White Ichigo yelled in glee.

" _Ichigo… You need to keep fighting. You cannot let him take control of you!"_ Zangetsu spoke, hoping Ichigo would hear him.

" _ **Ah, shut it you old bastard. The King is losing control. Soon, I'll be the King. But until then… We can't have you trying to save him. It's time for a change of regime; starting with you."**_ White Ichigo grinned evilly.

" _What are you talking about?"_ Zangetsu asked.

" _ **I'm going to be the King soon, and I've decided you've outgrown your usefulness. Your services are greatly appreciated, but no longer required."**_ White Ichigo explained as he edged closer to Old Man Zangetsu.

" _You don't want to do this… You'll regret it one day!"_ Zangetsu shouted in anger.

" _ **Perhaps… But that is not this day…"**_ White Ichigo said with a sickening grin as he lunged at Zangetsu.

* * *

Ichigo could feel an immense pain burning within him. Crying out in pain, he collapsed to the ground, clutching his head.

"Tch, you're pathetic. What's wrong; can't handle a little Hollow Blood? Too bad… It's good stuff. Perhaps it'd be best just to kill you and be done with it. You're not worthy." Grimmjow said as he walked up to the Soul Reaper who was writhing on the ground in pain, not hearing a word Grimmjow had said.

Grimmjow raised his sword over his head and was about to plunge it into Ichigo's heart until he felt an icy cold hand grab his own.

Looking at the offending appendage, he noticed the hand was deathly white. Looking from the hand down to the individual it belonged to. Upon realising who it was, Grimmjow scowled.

"Ulquiorra." He hissed.

"That's enough Grimmjow. Your orders were not to kill him, simply fight him. Remember who you're doing this for. Have some restraint." Ulquiorra said as Grimmjow tore his sword from Ulquiorra's grip.

"Whatever. He's pathetic. He's not even worth being left to live." Grimmjow growled as he sheathed his sword.

"Perhaps you are right… This Soul Reaper is trash, but he still has potential. I could feel his power from Hueco Mundo. When it spiked, it was greater than mine… Naturally, I got curious. Needless to say, I'm disappointed." Ulquiorra commented, looking down at the now unconscious Ichigo.

"Really? 'You got curious'? Why do I find that hard to believe? I think it was more to do with the fact you were keeping an eye on me?" Grimmjow inquired, as Ulquiorra opened a Garganta.

"What you choose to believe is your decision. You were given a task and you completed it. Lord Aizen will be impressed when he finds out." Ulquiorra said emptily as the two Arrancar walked through the Garganta and back to Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo's unconscious form was lying in the middle of the street, his face streaked with blood. Unbeknownst to him, two figures had approached the boy and were looking down on him.

"Well, this isn't good…" The first person spoke. It was a man.

"I agree… What do you propose we do?" The second person spoke. It was also a man.

"We'll bring him back with us and you can treat his wounds. Right now, that's all we can do." The first man explained.

"Very well…" The second man reached down and picked Ichigo up and threw him over his shoulder. "What about Aizen? This has his signature written all over it."

"One problem at a time, Tessai. Remember, we're still in exile. Even if this boy was to believe us, it would be unlikely the Soul Society would believe him… To say nothing of the fact that the Soul Society doesn't know where we are hiding. If this one returns with knowledge of us that would alert the Soul Society to our presence and that wouldn't be good." The first man said as he reached down and picked up Ichigo's Zanpakutō.

"A good point, boss… I'm sure Miss Yoruichi would be annoyed at you for having to relocate again." Tessai said as the duo began to walk away.

"Yeah, I still haven't recovered from the beating she gave me the last time that happened." Kisuke said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What are we going to do about Aizen?" Tessai asked.

"I honestly don't know… Right now, I say we do nothing. It's unlikely even he knows where we are. We should keep it that way for now." Kisuke explained, tipping his green and white striped hat forward slightly.

"And the Hōgyoku?" Tessai inquired.

"I'll come up with something… Even if it means hiding it somewhere no-one would even think to look. But, right now, our top priority is this one. You felt his spiritual pressure… There's something powerful locked inside him. I think I have a way of keeping his power in check, albeit a temporary solution…" Kisuke said. "How good are you Kidō skills, Tessai?"

"Well, it's been a long time since I've tried anything strenuous, but I feel like they're as strong as they used to be." Tessai replied, giving his close friend a curious look.

"Good, because you're going to need to use all your strength to achieve what I have in mind…" Kisuke said with a small smile.

* * *

 **A/N; It's done… It's finally done! This has been the single most difficult Chapter I have** _ **ever**_ **had the (dis)pleasure of writing. I had absolutely no idea how to go along with it for the most part, so yeah… I've had this document open for 25,000 minutes. Go ahead and tell me how many hours/days/weeks that is, because I don't know, but it's a fucking long time. Also, my depression has definitely set back in. That's a big reason behind why this took me so long. I'd pick up my laptop to try and do more, only to lose motivation. Gotta love it when literally everyone you thought you could call a friend has been screwing with you and laughing at you behind your back. Part of me even thinks that you, who is reading this right now, has also been screwing with me and you actually hate my story and are just being nice about it… I hope I'm wrong.**

 **Anyway, fuck what's been happening to me. That's not important. As you can see, things have been happening in this chapter that will pave the way for the story in future. Right now, I'm at a point where things are going to be a bitch to write, so updates will be slow (my depression killing my motivation not withstanding), until I reach a cutting point where all my ideas will start to flow again. Then you can expect things to update faster. I also outlined the whole 'Temporal Differentiation' between realms. I got the idea from the Dangai from Canon. Time moves 2,000 times faster in there, relative to the World of the Living, so I decided to go along with that and make something up for Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society. I hope it makes sense, because I lost** _ **a lot**_ **of sleep over that bit. It was a bitch to explain. Who likes Miyako's Zanpakutō? I came up with it myself and the English name is 'Lady of the Shadows'… I hope the Japanese name reflects that; I don't speak Japanese and I used Google Translate, which is a piece of shit…**

 **Another thing; I take a lot of my inspiration for titles from the songs I listen to. Not all, but a lot. For example; Chapter Nine was taken from Arch Enemy's 'Enter the Machine' from their 'Doomsday Machine' Album. Chapter Eight was also take from Arch Enemy. It's from their song 'Through the Eyes of a Raven' from their 'Khaos Legions' Album, just tweaked slightly. This Chapter was taken from Fort Minor's 'The Rising Tied' Album. Expect most of my Chapter names to be taken from the music I listen to. At the end, I'll tell you if it's from the music I listen to and who it's by. But the Chapter names always relate to the content of the actual Chapter. I never let the name dictate the content, but the content dictate the name.**

 **Enough of my rambling, let's do some reviews.**

 **GhostMarine51; We don't actually know how old they are (I can assume Rukia is maybe 150ish, given she says to Ichigo 'I've lived about ten of your lifetimes.') Since the average Human life is about 74, it's unlikely she's 740+ as Shunsui and Jūshirō are about 1,000 themselves and they don't look that old. Head Captain Yamamoto is 2,200+ (That motherfucker is older than Jesus) and he's ancient, so I can only assume she meant Ichigo's lifetime, and since he's only 15, we can assume she's about 150. Since you have left this review on Chapter 1, I'll assume you haven't read more of the story, where I explain my timeline deviates from Canon, so I'll spare the harsh remarks… For now.**

 **SnowyAssas1n; Thank you, your words mean a lot to me. I'm surprised you enjoy this story more than others with depth, but I'll take it as a win and hope I can keep writing to a standard you enjoy. I added the whole 'time' thingy for your benefit, as I saw your review and thought it would be best to properly address the issue. I hope it makes sense. Going by the explanation, Karin, Yuzu and all of Ichigo's friends will still be young (maybe in their early 20's when they are introduced to the story), so I hope that adds substance. Haven't really thought about the Vizards as of yet, so I can't really say what I intend to do with them. Oh, I have a** _ **HUGE**_ **idea in store in the future, but I won't be talking about it until it happens. I hope to have it come as such a shock that it hits everyone like a fucking train.**

 **Guest (Be nice to have a name, buddy); Yes, Rukia will be making an appearance again soon, as will Renji and Momo and Izuru. I thought I'd take the time to give them a rest and work on Shūhei and Miyako for a while. Plus, I've deliberately left Rukia out so that there's no 'Will this become an IchixRuki Fic or a RenxRuki Fic?' questions. No, it won't because that's old, dry and overused… Much like the people I work with and the people who live in my town…**

 **FindingProvidence; Let me say that I live for big reviews like this. It shows you're interested in the story and are enjoying it. More reviews like this will give me motivation to finish things quicker (that goes for everyone). I never actually thought you'd think my story was so detailed and everything has a place. I will admit that I add things because I feel like they fit, but I'm worried that parts seem like pointless ramble and trash (let's see if you think the same upon reading this Chapter). You actually find some parts funny? Wow, people always tell me I'm never funny and I try too hard, so it's surprising to find someone who thinks what I write is funny at times. Thank you. Good, someone finally understands! I'm a lot like Leonardo Da Vinci (that's a little arrogant, but let me explain); he was a chronic procrastinator. Artworks he did took years longer than he originally said they would. The reason for this was because he could see what the finished product before completion and he basically became bored of his work. I feel similar in the aspect that I can see where this is going and right now, I find it boring because there's so many more exciting parts that I want to share with you, but they won't make sense until I get to them in the story. I never saw Apacci as a Sadist, to be honest. Her short fuse, to me, is so that she'll get into a fight with someone and get a little roughed up, which she enjoys, making her more of a Masochist than anything. Cirucci, yeah… Can't be anything other than a Sadist… Maybe I can work in a little threesome with her and maybe Apacci so they can both share in the fun of BDSM. I don't know, I'll figure that out when I get to it. Sung-Sun is always a gentle lass in my eyes. She wants protection from people who might want to hurt her and she can find that, and various other comforts with Ichigo. Thank you for the kind words, and I hope you enjoy everything that I write in future.**

 **TheStormWriter123; Not to worry, I am focussed on the here and now, the only time I focus on the future is when I'm giving you guys little hints as to what you can expect later on. Sometimes it just struggles to get rolling and fall into place and that demotivates me. As for Gin… When did we find out he was a 'good guy'? Right at the end. He's not showing any of his canon motivations because no-one knew about them until the end. Keep that in mind, and I hope that eases your worries.**

 **Imperfect The Nameless Hollow; Not to worry, I'm going to finish this story, because lots of people love it and I enjoy writing it (even if the Chapters are a bitch at times), so I WILL finish this, even if it takes a few years (I don't know how long it's going to be, so it might be a few years anyway). Hope y'all are still around to enjoy it by then.**

 **Lobisomen616; You make a good point, but it's very possible Aizen had nothing to do with it and Ichigo simply needed more power to protect his friends but succumbed. Who knows, but never assume the possibilities are narrowing, because I'll always find a way to throw a curveball in there and shock you all with a new revelation. Just wait and see… I just hope you're enjoying the story so far.**

 **Guest; Your life. Your friends. Your family. Your review. Oh, I'm sorry; I thought we were saying things that were irrelevant and meaningless. Dick.**

 **xXBlackDragonXx; I can't be sure. Ideally, I want it to be either 30 Chapters or 300,000 words. But that's subject to change as I don't want to limit myself and end up cramming shite into my work if it comes full circle by, say, Chapter 20. Right now, it's undecided, but I do have an 'ideal target' I wish to aim for. It's all relative and subject to change, so stay tuned.**

 **All others who left a review; Thank you for the support, I would reply to each one individually, but I'm getting so many that I'm afraid my A/N's will be longer than the actual chapter.**

 **Until next time, my friends!**


	11. Digging For Truth

Chapter Eleven – Digging For Truth

Ichigo opened his eyes and had begun to regain consciousness. He was still groggy and disorientated, but he knew he was lying down somewhere. He could see the faint glow of light and the sound of voices.

"Are you sure this will work, Tessai?" Kisuke's voice echoed.

"Not entirely, no… Like I said, this has never been done before. I can't guarantee it'll hold." Tessai said, his voice also echoing.

"Well, do what you can. It looks like the rest is up to this one… I just hope he has the will to survive. I can't let this happen again." Kisuke said to himself as Ichigo lost consciousness once more.

* * *

"What the…? Where am I?" Ichigo said to himself before seeing the all too familiar scene of sideways skyscrapers and two figures he recognised immediately. "Huh? What's going on here? Zangetsu! Zangetsu, can you hear me?!"

" _What are you talking about?"_ Zangetsu asked.

" _ **I'm going to be the King soon, and I've decided you've outgrown your usefulness. Your services are greatly appreciated, but no longer required."**_ White Ichigo explained as he edged closer to Old Man Zangetsu.

"No… He's not going to…" Ichigo breathed as he watched the white version of himself advance on a now retreating Zangetsu.

" _You don't want to do this… You'll regret it one day!"_ Zangetsu shouted in anger.

" _ **Perhaps… But that is not this day…"**_ White Ichigo said with a sickening grin as he lunged at Zangetsu.

"NO, STOP!" Ichigo yelled as he watched his white counterpart attack the old man before his inner world collapsed and went black.

* * *

Ichigo awoke with a start. Wiping the sweat from his face, he immediately sat up and took in his surroundings. He noticed he was lying in a bed in a room somewhere. Outside his room, he heard footsteps and saw a large shadow appear outside his door.

Before Ichigo could react, the door slid open and a large, muscular man with cornrowed hair, a large handlebar moustache and a pair of large, rectangular glasses stuck his head in the room.

"Boss! You said to tell you when the Soul Reaper is awake! Well, he's awake!" The man shouted.

"Ah, good. Thank you Tessai." Another man commented as he entered the room. "Well, hello there. I'm Kisuke Urahara, and this is my assistant, Tessai Tsukabishi." Kisuke said, directing Ichigo's attention to the large man, who simply bowed. "You've got yourself in quite a mess, haven't you?"

"Yeah, no kidding… Wait. How can you see me? You're not meant to be able to see me." Ichigo said, pointing at the two men, then back to him.

"You mean that bracelet of yours? Yeah, I was the one who created a prototype for such a device. Never expected it to look like that." Kisuke said, pointing to the gold double-band bracelet on Ichigo's wrist.

"What do you mean 'you created it'? Just who the hell are you? It's apparent you're not a human…" Ichigo commented, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, you're right about that. To properly introduce myself; I am Kisuke Urahara, former Captain of Squad Twelve and the founder of the Department of Research and Development." Kisuke said, giving a formal bow.

"Wait, so you're a Soul Reaper? What the hell are you doing here? Why aren't you in the Soul Society?" Ichigo asked, demanding an answer from the blond haired man.

"Let's just say I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and now I'm no longer welcome in the Seireitei." Kisuke shrugged.

"Uh-huh… What about the big guy?" Ichigo asked, pointing to Tessai.

"I am Tessai Tsukabishi, former Kidō Corps Commander of the Soul Society. I, just like Mr. Urahara, am no longer welcome in the Seireitei due to… Well, I suppose it is as the boss said; wrong place, wrong time." Tessai said with a nod.

"Right… And what am I doing here…? Wherever 'here' is." Ichigo said, looking around the room.

"We felt an explosion of powerful spirit energy, and thought it would be a good idea to investigate what was going on. Good thing we did, otherwise who knows what would've happened to you." Kisuke commented.

"I must ask, what on earth happened out there? We found you, covered in blood and your robes were burned and torn, and we found the body of a man strung up from a streetlight by his own intestines. Did you do that?" Tessai asked, focussing his gaze on Ichigo.

"No, that wasn't me, that was…" Ichigo began, before realising he never actually got the name of his opponent from last night. "I don't know his name, but he called himself an Arrancar. Some sort of Hollow/Soul Reaper Hybrid."

Kisuke shot Tessai an uneasy look. He didn't think Aizen had been able to create such a creature without the Hōgyoku. Kisuke, however, had no idea that Aizen had his very own Hōgyoku, and that it was incomplete; just like his.

"What happened after the fight? I remember getting hit in the face by him, but the rest is just a blur." Ichigo said, trying to recall what had transpired, then realising something important. "Miyako and Shūhei! I need to go check on them! They must be worried." Ichigo said, standing up, only to stumble and fall, being caught by Tessai.

"Whoa, hold on there. You're in no fit state to go anywhere, and I don't think Tessai would appreciate it if you did, considering he spent the last twelve hours healing you. He takes great pride in his work, especially around this place, so if you go ahead and undo all of his hard work, he'll be deeply offended." Kisuke said as Tessai ushered the young Lieutenant to lie down again. "Why don't you tell us about yourself? I think that's only fair, since we did kinda save your life." Kisuke said, whipping out a small fan and used it to cover his face.

"Alright, well I am Ichigo Kurosaki, Lieutenant of Squad Five." Ichigo said.

"Oho! A Lieutenant? That's most impressive, isn't it Tessai?" Kisuke said jovially, looking over to his assistant. They both shared an uncertain look that Ichigo didn't seem to notice.

"Indeed it is. But the name 'Kurosaki' sounds familiar. You wouldn't happen to be related to Isshin Kurosaki, would you?" Tessai asked.

"Yeah, he's my dad… I suppose you'd both know him as Isshin Shiba, huh?" Ichigo said, looking at the two men.

"Yeah, I guess it was only a matter of time before you found that out…" Kisuke said, scratching the back of his head. "Why don't you go see him? I'm sure he'd be happy to see his son again."

"Sorry, but I have a mission to complete. I need to investigate what's causing the disappearance of souls in Karakura. Something strange is going on, and I have a feeling those Bounts are somehow caught up in all of this." Ichigo said.

"I see… Well, your suspicions are more than likely to be correct. Hmm, shall I fetch the rest of your team so that we can discuss the matter further? It seems pointless to tell you everything and not them, doesn't it?" Kisuke said, still waving his fan in his face.

"Uhh, yeah… That would be helpful. I'd go myself, but like you said; I don't want to undo all of Tessai's hard work." Ichigo said, looking at the large man, who simply nodded in agreement.

* * *

About an hour had passed since Kisuke had left to collect Miyako and Shūhei, and Ichigo was starting to get bored. He wasn't allowed to get up and all this 'down time' was not helping him with completing his mission. He rolled over and looked out the window, only to see a black cat sat on the windowsill.

"Oh, hey little guy… What are you doing here?" Ichigo said, looking at the cat.

The cat simply meowed and began flicking its tail back and forth. Its golden eyes staring at Ichigo.

A moment later, the door to Ichigo's room was opened and there stood both Miyako and Shūhei. Miyako had a relieved look on her face, while Shūhei simply grinned and shook his head as Miyako walked in and knelt down next to Ichigo had gently hugged him.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Ichigo. I was worried about you. We both were." Miyako said, a smile now on her face.

"Well, well, well… _This_ is what you've been up to? Lounging about doing nothing and making us do all of the hard work, huh?" Shūhei said from the door, not aware of the large man who was now standing behind him.

"I would choose your words more carefully, Master Soul Reaper. Your friend could have died last night. I would hardly say he's been 'lounging about', as you say." Tessai remarked, causing Shūhei to pale slightly at the sight of him.

"Uhh, right… Sorry a-about that." Shūhei said, bowing in apology.

"Right, to the topic at hand. Ichigo tells me you've been sent here to find out more about the unusual disappearances of souls in the area? Tell me, what do you know about the Bounts? As far as I'm aware, you've already made contact with them." Kisuke said as he sat down, beckoning everyone else to do the same.

As Miyako sat down, she noticed the black cat had leapt off the windowsill and made its way over to her. The cat looked at her expectantly; waving its tail around before climbing into Miyako's lap and going to sleep.

"Yeah, last night we met one of them on the roof of Matsukura Hospital; Koga was his name… There was a Soul Reaper there with him… He said his name was Maki Ichinose. But what does this have to do with the disappearing souls?" Shūhei asked.

"Look, Kisuke, we don't know anything about these Bounts, aside from the fact they have these things called 'Dolls' and they use them to fight… At least, that's what Utagawa said…" Ichigo said, thinking about the man he was battling, before Grimmjow butchered him.

"I see… Then allow me to fill in some blanks for you. Bounts are Humans with a very strange biological structure. They're a small tribe of Humans who are able to consume the souls of dead people in order to live. I say 'Tribe', because there's no other way to describe them; there're only a small handful of them left. Throughout the ages, they've been referred to as Vampires, for the fact they live for Centuries by consuming Human Souls." Kisuke explained.

"Humans? Then that would explain why Koga didn't acknowledge you, Ichigo. Your bracelet…" Miyako said, pointing to the object in question.

"Yeah, but what about Utagawa and Yoshino for that matter? Both of them were able to see me." Ichigo responded, earning a shrug from Shūhei and a thoughtful look from Miyako.

"I can answer that. The cloaking device can only operate for a fixed amount of time before it shuts down to recharge. Looks like Mayuri never could figure out how to make it permanent, huh? Still curious about why he picked such a design though…" Kisuke said, looking at the bracelet again.

"Actually, it was Nemu who created it. I don't even think Captain Kurotsuchi had anything to do with it." Ichigo explained.

"Nemu? Who's that?" Kisuke asked.

"The Lieutenant of Squad Twelve; Nemu Kurotsuchi." Ichigo clarified.

"Wait, Mayuri has a daughter? Who the hell did he drug to conceive her?" Kisuke asked.

"Uh, from what I've been told, she was created… Artificially. Nanao told me she's a combination of Mayuri's Gigai and Gikon technology, a scientific undertaking he dubbed 'The Nemuri Project'… Whatever that means." Ichigo said with a shrug.

"Ah, so she's a Mod Soul that's been given a body through Mayuri's Gigai? Makes sense, there's no way he'd come to the World of the Living in a Gigai. He'd be arrested for scaring small children and animals." Kisuke chuckled.

"Anyway, back to the topic at hand… The Bounts?" Miyako said, trying to steer the conversation back to its original course.

"Right, of course. It's likely these Bounts are the cause of your vanishing souls. If it were a Hollow, the Soul Society would be alerted to it and they'd send someone to dispose of the beast. Bounts are Humans, therefore aren't on the radar of the Soul Society. They're probably your best bet." Kisuke said.

"Right, and I don't suppose you know where to find them, do you?" Ichigo asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at the shopkeeper.

"Actually, we do… They live in a mansion just outside Karakura Town. It's well hidden, so you wouldn't know it was there unless you looked." A voice said, causing Ichigo to look confused, as neither Kisuke nor Tessai had spoken.

"Umm, who said that?" Ichigo asked.

"That would be me…" The voice said. Ichigo began looking all around the room for the source of the voice. "Down here, you fool."

Ichigo looked towards Miyako and saw the cat that had been resting on her lap was now looking at him.

"Yes, it is I who spoke." The cat said.

"W-W-W-What the hell?!" Ichigo yelled, sitting up and scooting away from Miyako and the talking cat.

"Did that cat just t-t-talk?!" Shūhei shouted in disbelief.

"I think so… Why is this so weird to you guys?" Miyako asked, stroking the cat's head.

"Ugh, why is it always the men who overreact to the fact I can talk?" The cat said with a sigh as it climbed out of Miyako's lap and walked over to Ichigo and sat in front of him. "Alright, boy, listen to me; I'm Yoruichi and I live here too. As a sign of good will, I'll show you where the Bounts are hiding." Yoruichi said.

"So, you live here too? Does that mean Kisuke is your master? I hope you're housebroken, because I'm sure Tessai wouldn't appreciate you peeing all over the floors." Ichigo said, only to earn a set of claws across his face for the comments.

"How rude. To say Kisuke is my master is almost as insulting as the notion that I pee all over the floors. Maybe I shouldn't bother helping you, if that's how you're going to repay me." Yoruichi snapped, glaring at the orange haired boy, who was clinging to his face in agony.

"Come now, Yoruichi, you're just creating more work for Tessai!" Kisuke said as Tessai exited the room to grab the First Aid Kit.

"Keep talking, Kisuke and you'll be next." Yoruichi warned, extending the claws that were used to punish Ichigo. Kisuke merely held his fan up to his face in response.

"Err, excuse me… Mr. Yoruichi? You said you knew where to find the Bounts? Would you please show us?" Miyako asked, gaining the attention of the cat.

"Of course. See? _That_ is how you ask for my help; not by saying this lazy lump is my master or by saying I pee on floors! The nerve of some people!" Yoruichi said, turning around and walking back towards Miyako. "I can show you… Under one condition."

"What did you need?" Miyako asked.

"Carry me." Yoruichi said and, before Miyako could respond, jumped inside Miyako's Shihakushō, causing her to yelp.

"Hey! What's the big idea, you damn pervert! Get out of there!" Ichigo shouted.

"Me, a pervert? How unbecoming…" Yoruichi said. "Let me show you something."

Yoruichi climbed out of Miyako's robe and stood in front of Ichigo once again and began to glow bright blue. A second later, a huge cloud of smoke exploded around Yoruichi. A few moments later, the smoke dissipated, and the sight before Ichigo caused him to turn bright red.

Standing in front of him was the _real_ form of Yoruichi; a tall, slender woman with curves in all the right places, dark skin, long purple hair and bright, golden eyes. She was also naked and Ichigo saw _everything_. Ichigo couldn't help but stare in shock.

"Like what you see, huh?" She purred. "I usually remain in my cat form longer, as it's fun to have people just assume I'm a male cat, from the voice I use. But, seeing the reactions of people when I revert to human form is just as fun." Yoruichi said with a wink before turning back into her cat form and climbing back into Miyako's robe. "So, as you can see; I am not a pervert."

"Just because you're a woman who can transform into a cat doesn't make you any less of a pervert. You could have just climbed onto Miyako's shoulder instead." Ichigo countered with a scowl.

"Hmm, well you got me there… But that's not important. Do you want my help or not?" Yoruichi asked.

"Ugh, fine. As long as you aren't going to run around totally naked if you decide to change into a human again." Ichigo said.

"You're no fun, you know that? Me being naked is a great diversion tactic and can really help you out when you're in trouble." Yoruichi commented.

"Whatever… Just shut up and lead us to these Bounts." Ichigo remarked as he looked over to Tessai. "Is it alright if I leave now? I know you worked hard to save my life, but I can't just sit here when I have a job to do."

"Well, since Miss Yoruichi is going to be accompanying you, I can't see the harm in it. Just make sure he comes back in one piece. Understood, Yoruichi?" Tessai said, looking over at the black cat.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Don't you worry about a thing, Tessai. I'll keep him safe." Yoruichi responded, waving one of her paws dismissively.

"Then let's get going. We have a job to do and standing around talking isn't going to help us get it done." Ichigo said as he grabbed his Zanpakutō and strapped it to his back.

"Oh, there's just one more thing…" Kisuke said, causing the three Soul Reapers to turn and look at the former Captain. "As I've already explained, I'm not exactly the Soul Society's most popular individual. I would appreaciate it if you could keep our whereabouts a secret from your superiors. This is quite a nice place, and I'd hate to have to pack up and go somewhere else."

The trio simply nodded in agreement before they left the building.

* * *

Ichigo and his team left Kisuke's residence which, to Ichigo's surprise, was a small candy store on the edge of the Mitsumiya District; Karakura's Easternmost district. Yoruichi was accompanying them, and was currently tucked away inside Miyako's Shihakushō.

"Alright, spill; how do you know where the Bounts are hiding?" Ichigo asked Yoruichi as they were making their way across town.

"Isn't it obvious? We've been concerned about the disappearance of Human souls for a while now. We knew the Soul Society weren't going to get their asses in gear and do something about it until it was too late. So, with that being the case, Kisuke and I decided we'd do something about it until you guys showed up." Yoruichi explained.

"Uh-huh… So, what _are_ Bounts? All Kisuke said was that they were Vampires or something… I wasn't really listening." Ichigo shrugged.

"Bounts are spiritually aware humans who feed on the souls of the departed in order to extend their life force. By consuming the souls of dead people, they can practically live forever. Kisuke said they were Vampires merely because they have been given that name by Humans Centuries ago. The only problem for them is the fact there's only a small handful of them left in existence." Yoruichi said, earning a nod from the Lieutenant.

"Right, I remember that Utagawa guy saying something about dining on my soul. I just thought he was incredibly fucked up." Ichigo said.

"Well, you're not wrong. According to Kisuke, they were the creation of the Soul Society over a thousand years ago. Some scientists wanted to see if they could create souls that could live forever; an immortal soul. But, something went wrong and they were created outside the cycle of creation, making them unable to reproduce and, if they were to die, unable to re-enter the cycle and their soul be reborn. Even if a Hollow killed and ate them, they would simply cease to exist." Yoruichi said.

"Ok, seriously; how do you know so much about this? I've never heard of these Bounts until just now. Surely if the Soul Society created them, we'd know." Ichigo said, looking at the cat in disbelief.

"Well, Kisuke _was_ the Captain and founder of the Department of Research and Development; science is his thing… Before that, he was my Assistant Adjutant, or Third Seat." Yoruichi responded.

"Wait, _your_ Third Seat? You were a Captain too?" Ichigo asked, not really believing the cat-lady.

"Yep, I was the Captain of Squad Two, the Supreme Commander of the Stealth Force and General of the First Division Punishment Force. As my Third Seat, Kisuke was in charge of the Confinement Unit, so don't let his outward appearance fool you; he's one hell of a fighter."

"Hold on, I'm sorry, but does anyone else find it strange that the Third Seat's official title is 'Assistant Adjutant'? You are aware that 'Adjutant' is literally another word for 'Assistant', right? So, in actuality, they should be called the 'Assistant Assistant', shouldn't they?" Shūhei interjected.

"Yes, but they're called that due to the fact that the Lieutenant of the Squad is technically the Adjutant to the Captain. The Assistant Adjutant follows the orders of the Captain and Lieutenant, but gives their own orders to other subordinates too. I guess you can say the Third Seat is simply the Assistant of the Assistant." Miyako explained.

"Huh? What? So the Third Seat's job is to assist the Assistant in assisting the Captain?" Shūhei asked.

"Can we stop saying 'assist' or any other words with 'assist' in them? This whole thing is getting old." Ichigo grumbled. He really didn't like it when people would try and use the same word over and over again. Keigo did enough of that when he was alive to last him a lifetime, and he wasn't about to let it happen in his afterlife either.

"So, what were you saying, Miss Yoruichi? Something about Mr. Urahara being your Third Seat before becoming a Captain?" Miyako asked, trying to get the conversation back on point.

"Ah, yes… Well, after Kisuke created the Department of Research and Development, there were reports of Souls vanishing in the Rukon District and any Soul Reapers that were sent to investigate never returned. Growing both concerned and curious, Kisuke started to do some digging. At the time, we assumed it was a Hollow, but we could never sense a Hollow's presence in the area. After a long time, Kisuke finally stumbled upon files about the Bounts." Yoruichi elucidated.

"So you think it was the Bounts that were responsible? How would they even get to the Soul Society, don't they need to travel through the Senkaimon?" Shūhei asked.

"That's the thing; we don't know if it was them or how they got in if they were responsible. That's the one thing Kisuke couldn't figure out." Yoruichi lied. She knew _exactly_ what happened, but knew that Kisuke had advised her not to tell Ichigo or anyone else what _really_ happened all those years ago…

"Alright, that aside, how are we going to go about this? I don't think merely knocking on their door and asking nicely is going to work. If the rest of them are anything like Utagawa, then expect a fight." Ichigo commented.

"Then there's also the problem with that Ichinose guy. His Zanpakutō creates light and can blind us. How can we fight if we can't see?" Shūhei asked.

"I'm sorry, were you not there last night? You saw Miyako's Zanpakutō, right? It's the polar opposite to his. She can take him on if needs be." Ichigo stated, earning a nod of agreement from his cousin.

"What about the rest of them? We know nothing about them, aside from the fact there's very few of them left. Even I couldn't figure out the extent of their power." Yoruichi said.

"That's not going to be an issue. We already know who's who and what powers they have." Shūhei said with a confident grin.

"Yes, that Bount we saved last night, Yoshino; she was more than happy to spill all she knew about her friends." Miyako agreed.

"Oh, nice. Perhaps you'd like to tell me, so I know what we're dealing with?" Ichigo asked with a sarcastic edge.

"I suppose we should start from the top. The leader of the Bounts is a man known as Jin Kariya. His Doll is called Messer and it has the ability to control wind, which sounds like it can be rather powerful. Apparently Yoshino is, or was, Kariya's wife, but she no longer loves or cares for him… Which probably explains why she's eager to help us out." Miyako began.

"Kariya's so-called 'Second in Command' is Koga; the guy from last night at the Hospital. His Doll is known as Dalk; some weird-ass lady-thing made of metal." Shūhei continued.

"'Some weird-ass lady-thing made of metal'? Wow, great description, Hemingway. Tell me, how would you describe Yoruichi; some weird-ass lady-thing that can turn into a cat?" Ichigo deadpanned.

"Hey, shut up!" Both Yoruichi and Shūhei shouted at Ichigo.

"Whatever. So, what does this 'Dalk' do, exactly?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, from what we were told, it has the ability to alter its physiological structure and break apart to attack. Apparently, it can also dismantle itself and morph into small ball bearings, making it impossible to defend against when it attacks in that manner." Shūhei carried on his explanation of Koga's Doll. "It's also immune to fire or heat based attacks, but struggles in the cold."

"Right, but none of us have an ice-type Zanpakutō, do we?" Ichigo asked.

"No, we don't, so we'll have to be careful with that one…" Shūhei commented.

"The next Bount is known as Sawatari. He has the appearance of an old man, but that's a side-effect of his… Eating habits." Miyako explained, earning a confused look from Ichigo. "The reason he looks so old is because he's been known for consuming the souls of living humans."

"What?! That's just wrong!" Ichigo growled.

"Yes, and it's a big no-no for the Bounts, especially since it kills the victim, but it's said to give Bounts incredible power, which is why some end up taking to it. His Doll, which is called Baura, is rather unique. It's some sort of rockfish that has the ability to travel through to another dimension that it's able to create. It has the same sort of dimensional space in its stomach, where it has the ability to break down a soul's cohesion, allowing Baura to consume the target's soul, and by extension, Sawatari too." Miyako said, with a rather uneasy look.

"Wow that sounds like it's going to be a pain to fight…" Ichigo sighed. "Who else is there?"

"This next Bount could prove to be useful. Apparently, there is one who is opposed to Kariya's regime and refuses to follow orders. His name is Mabashi and his Doll, known as Ritz, is this little flower/mouse hybrid that can bury itself inside people, allowing Mabashi to control them. I'm thinking that if we can appeal to Mabashi's sense of reason, he might be willing to join us in taking down Kariya." Shūhei explained.

"That's actually not a bad idea. If we can get Mabashi on our side that will make any fights easier, especially if his Doll does what you claim." Ichigo said nodding, impressed by Shūhei's thought process.

"That's not all. From what Yoshino told us, Mabashi seems to be at odds with another Bount called Yoshi. As far as we know, the two don't get along at all, and Yoshi's temper is so foul that she's been known to get into physical altercations with Mabashi. So, I'm thinking that if we can use Yoshi's temper against Mabashi that might be enough to get him to join our side." Shūhei continued.

"Alright, sounds good. Tell me more about Yoshi, aside from her bad temper." Ichigo said.

"Only concerned by power and bloodlust, Yoshi is someone to be weary of. Yoshino seems to think Yoshi has also consumed the souls of living Humans, but there is no evidence to support her claim. Either way, she is to be treated as a formidable opponent, especially with her Doll, Nieder. Her Doll consists of two parts; a Jian for offense and a fan for defence. However, she can only use one at a time, meaning if she's using her Jian, then she has no defences, but the opposite is also true; if she's using her fan, then her offensive capabilities are nullified." Miyako carried on.

"Next is a man called Ugaki. This guy is fiercely loyal to Kariya, so there's no way we can try turning him against the Bount Leader." Shūhei said, scratching his head. "From what Yoshino told us, he's their 'go-to guy' for research needs. His Doll, Gesell, is also very weird. While it can take the form of these small mouth-like eye creatures that generate light, it can also take the form of various appendages of a larger monster, but don't let that fool you; his Doll is actually sealed in the set of Tarot Cards that he always keeps on him." Shūhei said.

"Tarot Cards? That's not weird at all…" Yoruichi muttered.

"Well, yeah… Thing is, Ugaki has multiple cards that he can play to change Gesell's form. The Primary Card is known as 'Wächter', which allows the little eye monsters to shine light over objects to create shadows. After Wächter has been used, Ugaki can use other cards to summon various limbs of a large creature to attack. His so called 'trump card' is known as 'Dämon Kraft' which allows him to summon the full form of his Doll to attack." Shūhei explained.

"Of course, you already know who Ryō Utagawa is… Or was." Miyako said with a flash of discomfort as she remembered the man's demise.

"Yeah, believe me, even _I_ wouldn't have wanted that to happen to him. He sounded like a right prick, but that was just… Harsh." Ichigo commented. "Is there anyone else?"

"Oh, yeah, two other Bounts called Hō and Ban. They look like kids and their Dolls are called Ghul and Günther. They take the form of bottle caps from water bottles, but they are able to take the form of beings comprised of water. According to Yoshino, for them to work effectively, both Hō and Ban need to be in close proximity of each other; failure to do that means they lose their 'telepathic link' and their synergistic bond is lost. That being said, it's probably best to keep them away from water and hope that it won't rain while we're fighting them." Shūhei said.

"Great, so not only to we have to contend with two little bastards, but we also have to content with Dolls that are essentially indestructible. Looks like we're gonna have to find a way to split them up so we can take them out one at a time." Ichigo said, quickly devising a strategy for combat the Bounts. "Wait, what about Yoshino? She's a Bount; what's her Doll?"

"Her Doll might actually come in handy when fighting Hō and Ban. It's known as Goethe and it's a being of rock and fire. It's practically indestructible too, meaning if you were to slash at it, it'll simply reform and attack as if nothing happened. She did say she wanted to help out if we ever go after Kariya. Hopefully, she'll figure out that we're on our way there now." Shūhei explained.

"It's rock and fire? Tell me, on what planet is fire superior to water? They'll just extinguish Yoshino's Doll." Ichigo deadpanned.

"Perhaps, but fire can also turn water into steam. So, if Goethe is far enough away, he'll be able to vaporise Ghul and Günther without any issues." Shūhei replied, earning a sceptical nod from the orange haired Lieutenant.

"Alright, fine. If Yoshino actually turns up, we can have her fight one of those Water Dolls." Ichigo said. "If we play this right, and get both Yoshino and Mabashi on our side, we might actually stand a chance of beating Kariya and his Bounts."

As Ichigo spoke, he quickly looked to his right and saw a very familiar sight on the ground below.

"Huh, would you look at that; it's Karakura High School. Feels like I haven't seen it in a very long time…"Ichigo said to himself more than anyone else.

"Well, perhaps you'd like to get a closer look, huh?" A voice called out, surprising the three Soul Reapers and Yoruichi.

From out of nowhere, the form of one Maki Ichinose appeared before them. Before Ichigo could react, he felt a hard fist connect with the side of his face, sending him crashing down to the ground within Karakura High. Wasting no time, Ichinose rushed after Ichigo, intent on destroying him.

"Ok, what the hell…?" Ichigo groaned as he sat up and shook off the stunned feeling he received from the punch and impact with the ground.

"Well, that was disappointing. For a Soul Reaper, you're not very good in combat, are you? Does that mean you're from Squad Four? It would explain a lot, actually…" Ichinose trailed off as he watched Ichigo stand up.

"Actually, I'm from Squad Five. To be more accurate, I'm the Lieutenant of Squad Five." Ichigo said, drawing his sword.

"You, a Lieutenant? Ha! Don't make me laugh. And you…" Ichinose said as he side-stepped an attempted sneak attack by Shūhei. "Weren't you taught it's rude to interfere in the affairs of others, or have the Soul Reapers become so dishonourable that they believe surprise attacks are acceptable?"

"Tch, well isn't the pot calling the kettle black?" Ichigo muttered.

"I am loyal only to Master Kariya. I may be a Soul Reaper by name, but I am _not_ one of you." Ichinose said darkly.

"I've had enough of this. Ichigo?" Shūhei looked to his friend, who simply nodded.

"Reap!"

"Disrupt!"

"Kazeshini!"

"Zangetsu!"

Both Ichigo and Shūhei released their Shikai and were surrounded by a torrent of spirit energy; Shūhei's gold and Ichigo's blue. When the spirit energy subsided, both Soul Reapers were now holding the released forms of their Zanpakutō.

"So, a two on one battle it is then…" Ichinose stated, cracking his neck before taking a defensive stance.

Shūhei was the first one to make a move, throwing one half of Kazeshini at Ichinose, who simply swatted it away with his sword. Before he could move to counter, Ichigo had appeared in front of him, kicking him square in the stomach, knocking him back several feet and onto one knee.

"Hmm, lucky shot…" Ichinose commented as he vanished with a Flash Step and appeared behind Shūhei, aiming to cut his head off.

Shūhei, however, managed to lift his Zanpakutō over his shoulder and block the strike, knocking Ichinose back. Lifting one of the scythes above his head, Shūhei began to spin it around, creating a small cyclone, kicking up sand and dirt from the ground and blinding Ichinose.

"Flash and Burst; Nijigasumi!" Ichinose called out, unleashing a large blast of light which covered the area and blinded Ichigo and Shūhei.

"Damn it, I can't see anything… Again!" Shūhei cried out, covering his face with his hand and aimlessly stumbling around.

"Goddamn it! Miyako! Are you out there? Can you give us a hand here?!" Ichigo shouted.

No sooner had Ichigo called out to his cousin did the light vanish but Ichigo and Shūhei's sight was still impaired from the blinding light. Ichinose looked over to the Third Seat of Squad Thirteen and glared.

"Troublesome bitch! Stay out of this!" He shouted and leapt at Miyako.

"Leave her alone!" Ichigo yelled, covering the distance to Ichinose with Flash Step, hoping to catch him off guard.

Ichinose was no fool. He knew Ichigo would rush to save Miyako and used that to his advantage. As soon as Ichigo materialised next to him in an attempt to protect Miyako, Ichinose grabbed Ichigo by the wrist and flung him across the schoolyard.

* * *

Keigo Asano had the attention span of an ant. He could never focus on anything related to schoolwork for more than five minutes without allowing his over-active imagination wander. Currently, he was sat in class and trying to focus on what he was meant to be learning, until he saw something out the corner of his eye out the window.

Directing his attention to the grounds outside, he saw four people, all dressed in black standing outside. The one thing that grabbed Keigo's attention was the fact one of them had bright orange hair.

 _Huh…? Ichigo?_ Keigo thought to himself as he watched one of the figures in black walk over to the down individual. _No, that's definitely Ichigo. So… That means he's still alive! I KNEW IT!_

Keigo was now fully engrossed in what was happening outside. He watched as two of the figures pulled out a pair of swords and witnessed a cyclone of colour surround them both. A strong gust of wind rocked the side of the school, surprising everyone in the class.

"Yikes, where did that come from?" Tatsuki said, looking over towards the window.

"Must've been a random gust of wind. Maybe a plane is flying overhead?" Michiru said, feeling surprised by the sudden blast of wind.

"It wasn't a plane, Michiru, it was Ichigo!" Keigo said, now standing at the window looking outside.

"Oh, not this crap again. Would you give it a rest already, Keigo?! It's been six weeks since Ichigo died! He's not coming back!" Tatsuki shouted.

"But he's outside right now, dressed in black with four other people. He's even carrying a big sword!" Keigo shouted defiantly, grabbing the interest of a certain bespectacled student.

Due to Keigo being close friends with Ichigo before the latter's death, Keigo was fairly shaken up over it. He had been telling all his friends that he'd seen Ichigo multiple times since his passing, so he started to believe Ichigo was some secret undercover agent who was on a mission to save the world and had to fake his own death to protect his friends and family.

"Goddamn it, Keigo, I swear to God I–" Tatsuki began but was cut off by a blinding flash of light from outside, which quickly subsided. "What was that?" She asked.

"Aha! You saw it too, didn't you! Maybe now you'll believe me! C'mon and take a look!" Keigo shouted in excitement, grabbing Tatsuki by the hand in order to lead her to the window.

As soon as Keigo grabbed Tatsuki's hand, he heard the sound of shattering glass and cries of shock and horror. One of the figures he had seen outside had crashed through the window and landed in the classroom, knocking over several tables and chairs in the process. A figure with bright orange hair.

Most of the class simply saw the window breaking and all the tables being flung across the room. Only a select few saw what _really_ happened.

Keigo Asano, Mizuiro Kojima, Yasutora 'Chad' Sado, Uryū Ishida, Tatsuki Arisawa, Orihime Inoue, Chizuru Honshō, Michiru Ogawa, Ryō Kunieda and Mahana Natsui were the ten people who saw what caused the glass to shatter and knock all the desks over. Keigo was telling the truth. On the floor, surrounded by tables and chairs, was none other than Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Holy shit!" Tatsuki shouted.

"No way…" Mizuiro gasped.

"It can't be…!" Chad whispered.

"I-Ichigo?" Orihime choked out, tears forming in her eyes.

"Keigo wasn't kidding? What the hell?!" Chizuru cried.

"Wh-what? But-but-but… How?!" Michiru stuttered, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.

"Well, this is certainly interesting…" Uryū said to himself, pushing his glasses up on his face.

"See?! I told you he wasn't dead! I knew it!" Keigo shouted, pointing at everyone and sticking his tongue out at them.

Ichigo was still on the ground, dazed. He had a cut on his head, just above his left eye. He could feel the blood running into his eye, blinding him.

"Oh, God… Oh, God, that hurt. Well, at least there's no denying he was from Squad Eleven… That was one hell of a throw." Ichigo muttered as he tried standing up, using Zangetsu as a crutch.

Due to Ichinose's Zanpakutō and the blood in his left eye, he was vaguely aware of people standing around him, but couldn't properly make out who they were.

"Hey, Ichigo! Are you okay?!" Shūhei was standing in the air looking into the room Ichinose had tossed Ichigo.

"What? There's another one? Who are these guys?" Mizuiro questioned, looking from Ichigo to Shūhei.

"I don't know, but he's dressed like Ichigo! And look at that weapon!" Mahana cried out, looking at Shūhei, who was holding one of Kazeshini's blades over his shoulder. She was understandably terrified.

"Wait, you can see me?" Shūhei asked, getting a nod from everyone present. "Oh, that's not good…"

"Is that all it takes to stop a Lieutenant? The Soul Society really has become an embarrassment." Ichinose commented as he appeared in the air, his blade pressed against Miyako's throat.

"Dammit! Put her down! This is between us!" Shūhei shouted, readying Kazeshini for another round.

"Wrong! If you intend on hurting Master Kariya, then you will _all_ pay!" Ichinose shouted, pressing the blade of his Zanpakutō harder against Miyako's throat, drawing blood.

"Shūhei! What's happening?! I still can't see properly!" Ichigo shouted, wiping the blood from his eye, which did little to enhance his vision.

"Shit! What the hell can I do?" Shūhei said to himself.

While Shūhei was struggling to formulate a plan of attack, Ichigo was struggling to stand up properly. Looking down at his leg, he saw a large shard of glass had been embedded into him.

"Huh, well that explains that…" He said to himself, as he pulled the jagged shard out of his leg and dropped it to the floor, shattering it.

"How the hell can he be so casual about this?! There's some madman with a sword to a woman's throat and he's acting like this is no big deal!" Tatsuki yelled, which grabbed Ichigo's attention.

"What? Miyako…" Ichigo breathed, trying to focus his vision properly.

 _ **Aww, what's the matter? Is that tiny little cut causing you grief? What a pussy!**_ Ichigo could hear his white half talking inside his head.

 _Piss off! You know cuts above the head bleed profusely! Even you would struggle to see!_ Ichigo snapped, standing up.

 _ **Tch, excuses, excuses! But you know what? I'm feeling rather generous… How about I stop that bleeding for you, and we can go kick this guy's ass?**_ Ichigo's doppelgänger said.

 _We? There is no 'we'. I'm the one in control here!_

 _ **Don't make me laugh! You're struggling to fight off a weakling! You're pathetic!**_

 _Just shut up and let me handle this!_

 _ **Hmph, whatever. Just know that I'm watching you, Ichigo…**_

Ichigo put a hand over his face and when he removed it, he saw his vision had returned to normal, and he could see _everything_.

He saw the looks of surprise and horror on the faces of the people he had once called friend. He saw broken glass which was covered in his own blood from the impact with the window. He saw Shūhei in distress, trying to figure out what to do, and finally, he saw Miyako in danger.

Glaring daggers at Ichinose, Ichigo amped up his spiritual pressure, forcing everyone around him to drop to their knees, save Uryū and Chad. Shifting his feet apart slightly, he pushed off the ground with incredible speed, causing an explosion of air at the point he left from.

Before anyone could register what happened, Ichigo was gone and seconds later, appeared behind Ichinose. Ichinose released Miyako and brought his sword up to block the strike, but found his opponent's strike to be far more powerful than he had anticipated.

Ichigo's blade crashed into Ichinose's, causing an explosion of spirit energy at the point of impact, and sent Ichinose flying back. Skidding to a halt in the air, Ichinose rose to meet his opponent once more, but found said opponent already swinging his sword for another attack.

Once again, the two blades collided, creating a blast of spirit energy at the meeting point, but this time, their blades remained locked together.

"That's more like it! Show me what you've got, Lieutenant!" Ichinose yelled.

"You got it, you bastard!" Ichigo growled, as his blade began to glow blue. "Getsuga Tenshō!"

From mere inches away, Ichigo fired off a fully charged Getsuga at Ichinose, resulting in a powerful explosion that created a powerful gust of air. Ichinose's body fell out of the sky, burned and smoking from the powerful impact.

Ichigo wasn't unharmed in the attack. He found himself badly banged up and his robes had also been burned from the attack, but that was due to the proximity of the strike.

"Whoaaaaa! No mercy!" Keigo shouted in awe.

"Wow… I… I don't know what to say…" Mizuiro commented.

"Hmm, how about that was AWESOME?!" Keigo yelled, before being punched in the face by Tatsuki.

"Are you insane?! Ichigo just killed someone and you think that's awesome?!" Tatsuki growled.

"Ichigo…" Both Chad and Orihime whispered the single word together.

"You're wrong." Shūhei said. "He's not dead… Yet."

"What do you mean? You saw it too, right? Ichigo just blew that guy up!" Tatsuki yelled.

"Yeah, but Ichigo's not the kind of person to outright kill someone… That much I know." Shūhei said, still looking at Ichigo.

"So… What? That guy is still alive?" Mizuiro asked.

"Yeah, but he's in no condition to fight… To continue on would be suicide." Shūhei responded, turning to look at the group of schoolkids. "I don't know how you can see us, or how you know Ichigo, but the fact there's so many of you who can see us in one spot, is worrying." Shūhei looked down to the bracelet he had on. The diamond on it was glowing blue. _I thought this was supposed to hide our presence… What the hell happened to it?_

Ichigo descended to the ground and wandered over to Miyako. She had sealed her Zanpakutō and returned it to her sheathe.

"Are you okay, Miyako?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, I-I'm fine. Thank you, Ichigo." Miyako replied with a smile.

"Hey, Shūhei! Get your ass down here!" Ichigo yelled up to his friend.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Shūhei shouted back before sealing his own Zanpakutō and sheathing it.

"Hey, where are you going?! You owe us an explanation!" Tatsuki yelled at Shūhei. "Who are you people, and why is Ichigo one of you?"

"That's not my place to comment. You'll need to ask him yourself." Shūhei shrugged.

"That's bullshit! Ichigo is our friend! I thought he was dead?! What the hell have you done to him?!" Tatsuki growled, holding back tears.

"He _is_ dead. What you're seeing isn't Ichigo; it's his soul." Uryū commented, earning confused looks from everyone.

"His soul? How do you know that?" Ryō said, raising an eyebrow.

"The black robes and the sword; both are trademark items of a Soul Reaper." Uryū replied.

"Oh? You know about Soul Reapers, huh?" Shūhei said.

"Yeah, that's right. It's my business to know about you guys." Uryū commented, glaring at Shūhei.

"Right, whatever man… Anyway, I'm out. I'll leave the explaining to…" Shūhei trailed off.

"The name's Uryū Ishida… I am a Quincy." Uryū said, still glaring at the Tenth Seat.

"A Quincy? Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Shūhei asked, raising any eyebrow.

"It should, because I despise Soul Reapers and anyone who's a Soul Reaper is my enemy." Uryū replied coldly.

"Uh-huh… Cool… But, like I said, I'm out so–" Shūhei said, before being interrupted.

"HEY, SHŪHEI! ARE YOU COMING OR NOT?!" Ichigo shouted, causing the black haired Soul Reaper to scowl.

"YEAH, I'M COMING! Jeez… Look, if you wanna know more, I'm sure your friend here will explain everything to you. I'm sure Ichigo would, but we have a job to do." Shūhei turned and waved a hand before descending to the ground.

The group of schoolkids all walked over to the broken window to see what was happening. On the ground, they saw Ichigo stood talking with Miyako and Shūhei.

"Well, that was a pain in the ass. Now what?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't know, but we have a bigger problem. Your friends? Well, they can see us." Shūhei said.

"What?! But how? I thought these things were meant to keep us hidden?!" Ichigo shouted, pointing to the bracelet on his wrist, which was still glowing. "Argh, stupid thing! Alright, never mind. I say we carry on with the mission. All we need is… Where's Yoruichi?" Ichigo asked, looking around.

"She was right here a moment ago. I last saw her before I released my Zanpakutō to counter Ichinose's." Miyako stated, looking around the schoolyard.

"Ok, great, first sign of trouble and she runs away. Tch, some Captain she turned out to be." Ichigo scowled. "Fuck it, we don't need her. We know where the Bounts are now, let's go take them down."

"You will not harm Master Kariya… Not while I still breathe." Ichinose panted, making his way over to Ichigo, sword in hand.

"You… You can't be serious. Look at yourself; you're a mess! You can barely stand!" Shūhei commented.

"That means nothing. I will defend Master Kariya until the day I die." Ichinose grunted, charging towards Ichigo in a last attempt to defend his Bount Master.

"I guess I have no choice. I'm sorry for this… Maki Ichinose." Ichigo whispered as he raised his sword up to counter Ichinose's strike, knocking his sword from his hand, then brought his own blade down, cutting Ichinose deep across the chest.

"Forgive me… Master Kariya. I have failed you…" Ichinose breathed, as he collapsed to the floor and drew his last breath.

"It's for the best, Ichigo. We couldn't allow him to live. It was him or us. Even if he survived, there's no way the Soul Society would allow him to return. He'd either be imprisoned or executed for his crimes." Miyako said softly, placing a hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Yeah… Let's just go." Ichigo mumbled, taking one final look up to the classroom Ichinose had thrown him into. All his friends were stood watching him. A moment later, he vanished with Flash Step, prompting Shūhei and Miyako to do the same.

* * *

"Hello?! Hello in there! Is anyone home?!" Gin called out in his usual jovial manner, knocking on the door he was standing in front of.

"What the fuck do you want, Ichimaru? I'm trying to sleep here!" Grimmjow growled as he swung the door open.

"Oh, my… Someone's a little testy today. I just wanted to come and see how things went the other day. I would have come sooner, but you know… It's hard to keep track of time in all these places." Gin said with a smile as he invited himself into Grimmjow's room and sat down on his bed.

"Just get to the point. I did as you asked. Now what?" Grimmjow growled.

"Well, were you successful?" Gin asked.

"Hell if I know. I fought the bastard and bled on him, like you asked. What was the point of that anyway? All I know is that he was weak, right up until I burned him with a Cero and bled on him. That's when I felt _real_ power." Grimmjow explained.

"Oh, marvellous! I do believe Captain Aizen will be pleased with that. It sounds like you were successful. Well done, Grimmy!" Gin said, applauding the moody Arrancar before Grimmjow grabbed his collar.

"Stop calling me that, Ichimaru! I won't tell you again!" He growled darkly.

"Oh, my… You're so brutish, Grimmjow. Perhaps this is why Nelliel only considered you to be a friend. You need to be more considerate of other people's feelings; be respectful and courteous. Especially with the ladies." Gin commented, his trademark grin plastered upon his face.

"I'm not going to ask again. Get to the point, or get the fuck out." Grimmjow hissed, pointing to the door.

"Very well, I shan't mince words. You did as I asked and you did it well. I'll be sure to let Captain Aizen know that it was you who set his plans into action. I'm sure he'll be very grateful. I'm sure a promotion to the Espada will be on the cards in the not too distant future." Gin said as he stood up and headed to the door.

"Tch, as long as it gets me closer to what I want, then I don't care what Aizen has me do." Grimmjow said as he flopped down onto his bed again.

"Now that's what I like to hear… Toodles!" Gin said jovially, closing the door behind him.

Grimmjow sat in silence for a few minutes before he heard another knock on his door. Grumbling, he stood up and walked over to it.

"The fuck do you want now, Ichimaru? I'm getting sick of–" Grimmjow snapped as he swung the door open, only to find it wasn't Gin. "Ulquiorra…" He growled, narrowing his eyes at the pale-skinned Arrancar.

"Am I interrupting something? Were you expecting to see Gin?" Ulquiorra asked.

"What? No. He came by to talk to me about stuff. More importantly, what the hell are you doing here?" Grimmjow asked, eyeing the man standing before him.

"I wanted to talk to you… Is this a bad time?" Ulquiorra asked as he too invited himself into Grimmjow's room.

"No, go ahead. Make yourself comfortable." Grimmjow said sarcastically.

"Thank you." Ulquiorra simply nodded before taking a seat at a nearby table, completely missing Grimmjow's sarcastic edge. "I want to know more about what you were doing for Lord Aizen in the World of the Living."

"What's it to you? Just because you're an Espada doesn't mean I answer to you. I'm not one of your bitches." Grimmjow commented, earning an eye-roll from Ulquiorra.

"I merely ask because Gin came to me and asked if I wanted to perform the task he was given by Lord Aizen. To be honest, I didn't feel like getting into a pointless fight, but that explosive spiritual pressure… It piqued my interest. So, I ask again; what were you doing in the World of the Living for Lord Aizen?" Ulquiorra asked, staring at Grimmjow.

"Gin asked me to fight Aizen's Lieutenant and told me I had to bleed on him. Sounded like a weird fucking request, but I got to fight someone, so I did it." Grimmjow shrugged as he lay down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling.

"Hmm, what about what Gin promised you? A position as an Espada? Surely whatever you needed to do wasn't _that_ challenging. If that's the case, then it must be incredibly important to Lord Aizen's plans." Ulquiorra thought aloud.

"Is there an actual reason you're here, or are you just going to pester me like Gin?" Grimmjow asked, turning his head to look at the seated Espada.

"I know of your motivations for becoming an Espada. I know why you want to do it and who for. I'm here to tell you to reconsider your actions." Ulquiorra commented, getting a rise from Grimmjow.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Grimmjow growled.

"I know you want to become an Espada to avenge Nelliel; to kill Nnoitra. I'm going to save you the trouble and tell you your attempts to kill Nnoitra will be fruitless. He's too strong and his bloodlust is far too great. He'll destroy you." Ulquiorra said emotionlessly.

"Gee, why don't you tell me what you _really_ think…" Grimmjow grumbled sarcastically.

"If that is what you want. Any attempt to challenge Nnoitra will end with your death. You are no match for him; even if you were to become an Espada. Think of Nelliel; would she really want you to kill for her? You know her aversion for meaningless combat and bloodshed." Ulquiorra said, earning a glare from the blue haired Arrancar which seemed to go unnoticed.

"Just what are you saying, Ulquiorra?" Grimmjow asked.

"I'm saying that instead of trying to spill blood for her, take a less violent approach to honouring her and her memory. For instance; I have taken to reading her collection of books she used to collect. Believe it or not, Nelliel and I used to converse frequently. She would always suggest some books for me to read. I decided that was the proper way to honour her legacy." Ulquiorra said.

"What, and just let that asshole Nnoitra get away with murdering her?! Fuck that!" Grimmjow yelled, standing up.

"I never said that. I find Nnoitra to be a disgusting individual. His derogatory and grossly inappropriate comments about Nelliel and other female Arrancar are inexcusable; as is the act of him murdering Nelliel. I am merely saying you must find a way to respect Nelliel's life by doing something she would approve of. Senseless violence and bloodshed will achieve nothing." Ulquiorra said standing up. "However, should you feel the need to disregard everything I just said, then perhaps this will be of some use."

Ulquiorra reached into his robe and removed a book, which he then placed carefully on the table. He then made his way over to the door before he turned to look at Grimmjow.

"Please be careful with that. According to Nelliel, it's an original copy. It's very delicate and very valuable. It was one of her most prized possessions, even if the title is a little… Ironic." Ulquiorra said as he showed himself out and closed the door behind him.

Growing curious, Grimmjow got up and went over to the book that Ulquiorra had left for him. He immediately recognised the book, as Nelliel had told him about it once. It was Sun Tzu's _'The Art of War'_. She had told him that she admired the renowned General, who was also a military strategist, as he took a more philosophical approach to battle and warfare.

Opening up the first page, he looked at the writing, only to be greatly confused by it.

"The fuck is this?!" Grimmjow yelled.

Ulquiorra told him that the book was an original copy, meaning it was written by the Sun Tzu himself almost 2,500 years ago. That also meant it was written in Chinese, and Grimmjow didn't understand a word of the Chinese language.

"Son of a bitch!" Grimmjow roared, picking up a chair and throwing it at the wall causing Ulquiorra, who heard Grimmjow's cursing and violent outburst down the hall, to simply shake his head and continue on his way.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on… How do we know Ichigo isn't _really_ alive?" Keigo asked, causing everyone present to groan in exasperation.

"Idiot! This is the sixth time you've asked that! How can you be so stupid?!" Tatsuki yelled.

"Actually… It's the seventh." Chad interjected.

"Oh, gee, thanks for having my back, Chad!" Keigo cried, feigning offense.

After the 'incident' at Karakura High School, Uryū took it upon himself to explain to those present how they could see Ichigo and what he had become. Being the one with the most knowledge on the Spirit World, he was the only one who _could_ properly explain everything.

"Look, I'll try to sum it up for you. Ichigo Kurosaki is what's known as a Soul Reaper; a spiritual being that allows the souls of the departed to pass over to the afterlife, or the Soul Society. It is also their job to protect the living from creatures known as Hollows; spirits, who weren't saved by a Soul Reaper and as a result, have lost their heart and become a monster." Uryū explained.

"Ok, that much we get, but where does Ichigo fit into this, and why was he fighting his own kind?" Mizuiro asked.

"Ichigo had an incredible amount of spirit energy when he was alive. In fact, that's the reason why you are all able to see spirits. Due to his inability to control his spirit energy, he allowed it to leak out and influence your souls to be able to perceive spirits. The longer one hangs around him, the faster it'll happen. Tatsuki, you're probably one of the first people it happened to, considering you've been friends since you were kids." Uryū said, looking at Tatsuki.

"Hey, wait a second… Are you saying that the things I've been seeing are actually real? I thought I was going crazy." Michiru mumbled.

"Yes, they are very real and since you all saw what happened today, then that means you have a decent amount of spirit energy… This also makes you targets for Hollows." Uryū said, pushing his glasses up.

"What?! Are you serious?!" Keigo shouted. "No, this can't be! I'm too handsome to be eaten by monsters! Ichigo, save meeeee!"

"Would you shut the hell up with your constant whining?! You're giving me a damn headache!" Tatsuki shouted as she grabbed Keigo and threw him across the classroom.

"Say, Uryū, when you were talking to that other… Umm…" Mahana began forgetting the name of what he was.

"Soul Reaper." Chad said.

"Yeah, that. Thanks, Chad. When you were talking to that other Soul Reaper, you said they were your enemies… Why did you say that? They didn't seem that bad to me." Mahana looked at Uryū, who simply nodded, considering his answer.

"The reason I hate Soul Reapers is because they were the ones who killed my Grandfather." Uryū said bluntly.

"That can't be right. Those guys didn't seem like the sort of people to just kill an innocent person. Especially not Ichigo. As scary as he was, I know that he'd never hurt an innocent person." Michiru commented, refusing to look at Uryū.

"Perhaps you are right, but there are some Soul Reapers who are like that, and it was those who got my Grandfather killed. Because of that, I cannot forgive the Soul Reapers for that fact, and that's why I despise them." Uryū said, his voice had a bitter edge to it.

"So, what, are you telling me you hate Ichigo as well?" Ryō asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not directly, no. I simply consider him to be guilty by association." Uryū shrugged.

"C'mon, Uryū… Isn't that kinda petty?" Tatsuki asked.

"I don't know; is it petty to hate a group of people who stood by and refused to stop an army of Hollows from killing an innocent man? My Grandfather was a proud Quincy. He didn't deserve to be treated as something as depraved as a Hollow." Uryū asked, glaring at Tatsuki.

"What are Quincies anyway? You said you were one, like your Grandfather, so just what is a Quincy?" Chizuru asked.

"A Quincy is a spiritually aware human who has powers to manipulate spirit particles, known as Reishi, to form weapons to combat Hollows. Allow me to demonstrate." Uryū said, as he stood up and went over to the window and opened it.

Holding out his right arm, his hand began to glow blue as a bow began to take form. Raising his left arm, he drew back on the 'bowstring' and an arrow of spirit energy had appeared in the bow. Holding his breath, Uryū, aimed out the window and waited…

Surely enough, some three hundred feet away, the sky tore open and a Hollow made its way out into the World of the Living. Uryū, wasting no time, aimed at the Hollow and fired his bow. The arrow ripped through the air and smashed into the Hollow's face, destroying its mask and the creature itself.

"That is the power of a Quincy." Uryū said as he calmly closed the window and sat back down.

"Whoaaaaa! That was so COOL!" Keigo shouted in excitement.

"Say, Uryū, what's the difference between Soul Reapers and Quincies? From what you've told us about Soul Reapers, and what you just showed us, there doesn't really seem to be that much of a difference." Mizuiro asked.

"Good question. There is actually a huge difference between Soul Reapers and Quincies, the difference being on how we fight Hollows. A Soul Reaper uses their sword, which is called a Zanpakutō, to cleanse the soul of the sins it has committed as a Hollow, allowing said spirit to pass on to the Soul Society. Quincies, on the other hand, eradicate the soul from existence. They simply cease to exist." Uryū stated.

While Uryū was explaining the finer points of the spirit world to the group, Tatsuki noticed Orihime was sat by herself, staring out the window.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Tatsuki asked as she sat herself down in the seat next to Orihime.

"Oh, Tatsuki! I… I was just thinking about today… I can't believe Ichigo is still here…" Orihime said with a weak smile.

"Yeah, and here I was thinking Keigo was just a moron. I mean, I'm not wrong but… I'm just as surprised as you are." Tatsuki said.

"I hope Ichigo is adjusting to his new life alright. I wonder if he'll be able to come and visit." Orihime thought aloud.

"Ah, Ichigo will be fine. That much I can count on. As for him visiting us… I don't know. First we need to find a way to get in contact with him. I'm guessing the Soul Society doesn't have cell phone coverage." Tatsuki said with a grin, pulling her phone out of her pocket and shaking it in her hand.

"Maybe Uryū knows a way? He seems to know a lot about this kind of stuff." Orihime said hopefully.

"Nah, I doubt it. He hates Soul Reapers. Why would he want to know how to contact them?" Tatsuki asked.

"Hey, Uryū, you said you and your Grandfather were Quincies, right? What about your parents?" Chizuru asked.

"My mother was a Quincy, yes… Same goes with Ryūken." Uryū began, his voice holding an icy tone upon mentioning his father's name. "The difference is that Ryūken despises his heritage, believing it to be a waste of time because there's no profit in it."

"Wait, 'was'? What happened to your mother? Did she decide the Quincy life wasn't for her?" Ryō asked.

"No, she died about nine years ago." Uryū said.

"Oh… I'm sorry… What happened?" Ryō questioned.

"I don't know. All I know is that nine years ago, on June 17th, my mother slipped into a coma. She died three months later." Uryū said, looking down at the floor.

"Wait, did you say June 17th?" Tatsuki asked, getting everyone's attention.

"Yeah, why?" Uryū looked at Tatsuki with curiosity.

"That was the day Ichigo's mother died. Are you really going to sit there and tell me, after everything you've told us, that that's a coincidence?" Tatsuki said standing up.

"What? Are you saying that the day Uryū's mom fell into a coma, Ichigo's mom died?" Mizuiro asked. "That's more than suspicious…"

"Does your dad know? I'm sure if you asked him, he–" Tatsuki began.

"Out of the question. Ryūken hates talking about that time. If I were to ask him if the two events were linked, he'd never speak to me again." Uryū said. "Not that that wouldn't be a bad thing…"

"Well, what if we go talk to Ichigo's dad? He's a doctor and I've seen him visit Dr. Ishida at the hospital quite a few times. Maybe he'll be willing to talk about it." Tatsuki considered.

"C'mon, Tatsuki, you really think that'll work? What will Dr. Kurosaki say when he sees ten of Ichigo's friends turn up at his house asking about his dead wife and son?" Mahana asked.

"I don't mean all of us go. I was thinking I go and talk to Isshin, while Uryū can _try_ and find out more from his dad." Tatsuki explained.

"Actually, I'm with Tatsuki on this. There's something about all of this that makes me want to know more." Mizuiro said.

"Ooh, are we going to do some sleuthing?! Well, have no fear; Detective Inspector Asano is on the case!" Keigo declared, pulling out a deerstalker hat and a magnifying glass from out of nowhere and began to investigate the floor in front of him.

"More like Detective Inspector Moron!" Tatsuki shouted, kicking Keigo in the face. "Look, all I'm saying is that there's more to this than meets the eye. I suggest we just start asking questions, in an attempt to fit all of the pieces together."

"Tatsuki's right. Ichigo was our friend. If there's a possibility of being able to see him again, I say we find out more about what he is." Orihime said with a determined look on her face.

"Alright, if that's what you all want…" Uryū said as he looked at everyone, who all nodded in confirmation, causing Uryū to sigh in defeat.

* * *

"Well, here it is… The mansion these Bounts are hiding out in. See, we didn't need Yoruichi for this at all!" Ichigo said as he walked up the gravel path with Miyako and Shūhei in tow.

"Ichigo, we left Mr. Urahara's store about six hours ago. We got lost multiple times." Miyako said.

"Hey, in my defence, it was really well hidden. Hell, even I had no idea this place was here when I was alive." Ichigo replied.

"I don't know about you two, but this place seems quiet for a Bount hideout… Almost _too_ quiet." Shūhei commented.

"Really, and what would you know about Bount hideouts? Oh, that's right; nothing." Ichigo said with a smirk.

"What I meant, you idiot, was that for a place that's holding the people we're looking for, I'd've expected to come across some resistance by now." Shūhei replied with a scowl.

"Shūhei is right, Ichigo. If Maki Ichinose knew we were looking for the Bounts, then surely they must be aware. I'm sure that Koga would have said something about our presence here as well." Miyako continued.

"I suppose that makes sense, but I defeated Ichinose, so there's no way they'd know we were coming. We have the element of surprise on our side, guys. I'm not saying don't be on your guard, just don't start jumping at shadows." Ichigo said, trying to calm his allies.

Ichigo getting his team lost was really a blessing in disguise. By the time they had arrived at the mansion, the sun had already set, meaning they were able to move under the cover of darkness to the mansion.

Upon arriving at the main doors, Ichigo stopped and turned to look at his friends.

"Something's not right here…" He whispered.

"Oh, now who's the one who thinks something's wrong?" Shūhei replied.

"Take a look around, numbskull; it's night time." Ichigo pointed out.

"Yeah, so?" Shūhei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"So, if it's night time, why are there no lights on inside?" Ichigo asked, causing Shūhei's eyes to widen.

"Maybe they've all turned in for the night?" Shūhei said with a weak shrug.

"Tch, c'mon… Even you can't believe that." Ichigo said, rolling his eyes.

"Alright, so what's the plan?" Miyako asked.

"I guess we just bust in and start kicking ass?" Ichigo said.

"Right, but what if this is some sort of trap? You guys are right, something isn't right here. Do you feel that?" Miyako asked.

"Feel what?" Shūhei and Ichigo said simultaneously.

"Nothing… Absolutely nothing." Miyako replied.

Growling, Ichigo kicked the door open and leaped inside, followed by Miyako and Shūhei. All of them had their swords out, ready to fend off an ambush that never came.

"Alright, split up. We'll check every room if we have to…" Ichigo whispered, directing Shūhei and Miyako up the stairs which split off in two separate directions.

Ichigo took it upon himself to explore the ground floor. Using his knowledge of Kidō, he was able to compress Hadō Number Thirty-Three down into a small orb, creating a make-shift lantern. Every room he entered and searched was the same as the last; empty and untouched, as if the residents hadn't been here in a while, which only made Ichigo that much more curious. He was still deep in thought when he heard a scream.

"Miyako!" Ichigo yelled and took off in a run to go find his cousin.

* * *

"Hmm… Nope, nothing in here either…" Shūhei muttered to himself as he wandered down a corridor that appeared to be the wing of the mansion that was for sleeping quarters.

He closed the door of the bedroom he had just been in. It was the fifth one he had entered, and it was exactly the same as the last four; empty and untouched. Even the beds were made and looked as if no-one had slept in them for days.

Growing all the more intrigued, Shūhei made his way down to the next room and opened the door. The sight he saw made him go pale. He immediately slammed the door and continued on. That was when he heard a scream.

"That sounded like Miyako!" He said, and rushed off to the other side of the mansion.

* * *

"Miyako?! Miyako, where are you?!" Ichigo shouted, as he ran around another corner. "Goddamn it, this place is like a maze!"

Ichigo continued his mad dash through the corridors, until he turned a corner and collided with something hard.

"Oww, dammit, that hurt!" Shūhei groaned as he hit the floor.

"Shūhei! Where's Miyako?!" Ichigo asked frantically, pulling his friend up to his feet.

"I don't know, I heard a scream and came to investigate. I think it came from around here." He said, rubbing his head where it had impacted with the floor.

"Alright, let's go!" Ichigo commanded, dragging Shūhei along with him.

Sure enough, around the next corner was Miyako, standing in the hallway, her back to Ichigo and Shūhei. Ichigo rushed up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Miyako…! Are you okay?!" Ichigo asked, panting slightly from his frantic sprint to her location.

Miyako turned around and saw Ichigo, and immediately smiled.

"Oh, Ichigo, Shūhei! Yes, I'm fine." She said.

"Then… Then why did you scream?" Ichigo asked, looking at his cousin with confusion.

"Oh, that? Well, I was exploring the rooms in this part of the mansion, when I opened one of the doors and a small bird flew into my face. Poor creature scared me half to death." Miyako said with a slight chuckle. "Look, there it is!"

Miyako pointed down the hall, and Ichigo saw a bright yellow bird, sat on the edge of a flower vase, pecking at the flowers, probably in search of pollen or nectar. Too bad for the little bird that the flowers in the vase were fake.

"Well, as long as you're alright… What did you find?" Ichigo asked, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Nothing. All the rooms were empty and look like they haven't been entered in a while. What did you find?" Miyako asked.

"Same as you; every room was empty and looked like it hadn't been lived in for some time. What about you, Shūhei?" Ichigo and Miyako turned to the Tenth Seat, who started shifting nervously.

"Umm, n-nothing! Every room was totally empty. Yep, absolutely nothing in them at all!" Shūhei said with a nervous laugh.

"Hmm, now why don't I believe that?" Ichigo said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because you're always sceptical? C'mon, let's just go. The Bounts aren't even here. We should just return to the Soul Society." Shūhei said, making his way towards the main foyer.

"Hold it! We're not going anywhere until you show us whatever it is you're trying to hide." Ichigo said, grabbing Shūhei by the collar.

"Fine… This way…" Shūhei sighed in defeat.

* * *

"I wasn't kidding when I said all the rooms were empty, you know…" Shūhei said. "Well, aside from this one." Shūhei had stopped them both outside the last room he checked before hearing Miyako scream.

"Alright, well what's in there?" Ichigo asked.

"See for yourself…" Shūhei said, as he opened the door for Ichigo and Miyako.

"Whoa!" Ichigo cried putting a hand over his eyes.

"Oh, my…" Miyako said, putting a hand to her mouth in shock.

The room was _supposed_ to be a bedroom, but instead it had been turned into some kind of make-shift sex dungeon. All over the room, there was bondage equipment and various phallic objects. On one of the bedside tables was a candlestick with half-melted candles and candlewax all over the table top. On the floor were various kinds of X-Rated magazines and several pairs of handcuffs.

"Jesus, what in the hell were these guys up to in here?" Ichigo asked, as he and Miyako entered the bedroom-turned-sex-dungeon.

"Bondage; and lots of it." Miyako stated, bending down to pick up one of the magazines from off the floor. "They _are_ humans, after all…"

"Yeah, but still… This is _not_ what I had expected. Well, at least we know they haven't been gone long… These candles are still warm." Ichigo commented, holding a hand over the candles before picking one up. It was highly malleable and was easily squished in Ichigo's hand.

"Right, so we know they were here, now the question is where did they go, and how did they know we were coming?" Miyako asked.

"Maybe it was just a coincidence?" Shūhei said with a shrug.

"Unlikely. Someone tipped them off… But how? Ichinose died by my hand." Ichigo said, earning a look from Shūhei which said 'I don't know'.

"Are you sure you killed him? You could have seriously wounded him. Six hours is a long time; he could have returned to the mansion and warned everyone." Miyako surmised.

"I know that he died from how deeply I cut him. I felt the tip of Zangetsu slice through his internal organs. Even if I missed his heart, there is no way I missed _every_ vital organ. No-one is _that_ lucky." Ichigo said as he ushered Shūhei out the door and into the hallway, with Miyako closing the door behind her.

"Hey, what happened to your arm, Miyako?" Shūhei asked, pointing to her left arm.

Ichigo turned and looked to where Shūhei was pointing. Miyako's left wrist was covered in blood.

"Oh, I don't know? Maybe I cut it open when I was surprised by that bird. I do remember stumbling back and feeling a sharp pain in my arm, but it quickly disappeared." Miyako said, looking at her wounded appendage.

"Well, we can attend to that in the Soul Society. Right now, we have no reason to stay here. We've got no idea where the Bounts went, or why they left. This mission was a failure…" Ichigo said, sounding dejected.

"Don't feel bad, Ichigo. We still have Yoshino hiding out at the apartment; I'm sure she'll be willing to help us out. We'll find these Bounts, don't you worry about that." Miyako said, putting a hand on her cousin's shoulder and giving him a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Let's go, you guys. We've got work to do…" Ichigo said; determination evident in his voice.

With that, the trio left the mansion and made their way back to the apartment they were using as their base of operations.

* * *

 **A/N; Ok, so? What did you all think? Pretty awesome huh? There was quite a bit going on in this Chapter, and so there should be; this has been my longest Chapter to date. I'm quite proud of it. I hope you are as well. I'm sure you have lots of questions in regards to what happened in this Chapter, like 'What did Kisuke and Tessai do to Ichigo?', 'What happened to Old Man Zangetsu?' 'What is Ulquiorra planning with Grimmjow?' 'What is going to happen with Ichigo's friends?' 'Why was there a sex dungeon in the Bount Mansion?' Not to worry; all is relevant and all will become clear later on… Except the sex dungeon; I thought that'd be funny to add in and has no relevance to the story… Or does it? The answer is 'No'.**

 **In regards to Ichigo's friends, allow me to explain some things, because I know you're probably thinking that all the girls in Ichigo's circle of friends weren't spiritually aware. Well, maybe not, but they did hang around Ichigo every day, meaning they ended up becoming influenced by Ichigo's spirit energy, then after he died, it was Uryū's spirit energy that was influencing them, which explains why they're all spiritually aware and were able to see Ichigo and company. As for the backstory with Uryū, I'm not really sure if he knew that Masaki was meant to marry Ryūken as some 'Quincy Arranged Marriage' but ended up marrying Isshin instead. In fact, I don't think he knew until after Ichigo found out in the Manga. Again, I really didn't read too much of it (even though I know what happens for the most part), so I don't** _ **actually**_ **know what the circumstances were there, but I wanted to keep it relatively similar to canon, because I'd rather not go off on a tangent and make it 'Super-AU' where cats bark and dogs go 'Hello, I'm Pickles'. So, I'm just gonna do what I do and hope you all enjoy it.**

 **Ok, time for some wonderful news! I have come up with a new title and description! Well,** _ **I**_ **didn't, it was all thanks to the wonderful 'SnowyAssas1n', who helped me out with that! So, please give him or her (I've never actually asked what gender you are, sorry about that) a round of applause! *Applause for Snowy***

 **Anyway, I'll be changing the title and description roughly 24 Hours after this Chapter goes up, just so people don't get confused and be like 'Huh? I don't remember subscribing to this Fanfic!' and not reading it. I'm giving you time to adjust, see how kind I am?!**

 **Speaking of applause, my story has now reached 6,000 hits! I'm so pleased! Thank you to everyone who's contributed. Let's mark off the 10,000 Milestone before my 22nd Birthday next month (Which'll also celebrate my 1st Year as part of )! Ok, that's a bit overzealous, but it's not impossible. I've gotten 6,000 hits in just over 8 weeks... I think? So, it's not _that_ farfetched to think I can make 10,000 before next month... Is it?**

 **Inspiration for this Chapter's title came from the song 'Digging For Truth' by Scar The Martyr. Check it out if you're into Metal Music; they're a great band!**

 **Before I get into the reviews and stuff, there's something that's been bugging me about some Fanfics on this site; Why does everyone seem to call Szayelaporro Granz just 'Szayel'? It's like they think his name is double-barrelled, as if it's 'Szayel-Aporro Granz'. It's not, and I don't know why people keep doing it. Is it because it's too long and complicated to spell? This isn't a targeted attack, I just notice lots of people do it and I want to know why.**

 **Speaking of reviews, I have to admit, I'm kinda disappointed by the lack of reviews for the last Chapter. Was it because I was gone for ages, or was it just that terrible? I live for reviews, guys and girls! The more I get, the faster I update, because I know you all want to read more, and that makes me happy! So, please, review this more often.**

 **One more thing; those of you who might have read my other Fanfic, I regret to inform you that I have deleted the story from the site. I'm sorry if you enjoyed it, but after going back over it, I realised just how cringeworthy it was and thought to myself 'Nope… Nopenopenopenopenope… This is awful. *Hits Delete Button*'… So, that's now gone. Sorry to those who might've read and enjoyed it. It's a dead story anyway; I have no idea where I was going with it.**

 **Now, let's get to those reviews, shall we?**

 **Lobisomen616; I'm glad you're enjoying this story. I'm the kind of person who refuses to update a story unless I am satisfied with the content. I mean, if you're not happy with what you've written, how can your readers enjoy it?**

 **FindingProvidence; Allow me to satisfy your thirst for Bleach Fanfics by presenting this, my longest chapter to date, for you to read! I hope this will hold you over until my next update (which will be soon if I get lots of reviews, so be sure to tell your friends about me!). I have to be honest; sometimes the dialogue is what gets me. I need to do it in such a way that it makes it seem like something the character would actually say, and make them seem more 'real', for lack of a better word. Miyako will be sticking around for a while. She** _ **is**_ **family, after all. I added a small scene with Grimmjow, just to push his story on a little bit. I wonder what you'll think about Ulquiorra's involvement from now on. What is he planning, I wonder? Bounts and other fillers will be there, but they might come in chunks, so now we have the Bounts, but the other ones, like Sword Beasts, might not appear until later, then they might get swapped for something else. That's a poor explanation; you'll see what I mean when I get to it. Ooh, I have** _ **BIG PLANS**_ **for Kisuke and friends. I won't say anything more, but it'll be huge! I hope everyone likes what I have in store for them.**

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark; So many questions… So little time to answer them. I will answer them, but I'll do it in future chapters and you'll see the progression of the story and you'll have the answers that you seek. Until then, keep reading and reviewing!**

 **Colbet11; I've never had someone write a review from a 3rd Person perspective before. It's new and I like it. I'm pleased you agree with my thoughts on other characters and aren't disappointed that it won't align with your favourite pairings. I like to be different and make unique pairings that make people go 'Oh, a unique pairing? Tell me more' so they start to read it, and then they enjoy it and want more!**

 **SnowyAssas1n; Yes, we finally meet Kisuke! He's going to have a big role to play, so keep an eye out for that later on down the line! I hope you enjoy what I have planned, both for Kisuke and as a whole.**

 **Fathira; I agree, there is a lot of Arrancar fics out there, but I am surprised you think mine is one of the best. I do like to hold my works to a high standard, but I feel like there are so many more out there that are far more popular than mine, so it's nice to see you think so highly of my story. I hope you'll stay tuned and enjoy what I have in store for the future.**

 **Well, that's about it from me…**

 **5… 4… 3… 2… 1…**

 **PASTASAURUS BLASTS OFF AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT!**

 **Until next time!**


	12. Questions, Answers, And A Party?

Chapter Twelve – Questions, Answers, and… A Party?

Ichigo's first evaluation of the mission to Karakura had been correct; it was a failure. After leaving the Bount Mansion, they were under the impression that they could press Yoshino for information about possible hiding places of the tribe of immortal humans.

However, that plan went up in smoke when they returned to the apartment they had been using and found Yoshino was nowhere to be seen. Yoshino Sōma had disappeared without a trace. This led Ichigo and Miyako to come two conclusions.

Yoshino had left the apartment of her own free will.

Someone had found her and taken her against her will.

Ichigo couldn't be sure which one was the more likely of the two, but it did leave one thought firmly in his mind; someone had tipped off the Bounts that the Soul Reapers were looking for them. It seemed unlikely that the Bounts had decided to simply up and leave their place of residence on the day Ichigo and his team were looking for them, but one question remained unanswered.

Was Yoshino the one who told the Bounts they were coming, or was she the victim in all of this?

To Ichigo, the thought of Yoshino being the one who informed the Bounts of their movements seemed unlikely. Why would she be on the run from them, and why would she be so willing to tell the Soul Reapers, the Bounts supposed enemy, all about their abilities?

All of this and more was running through Ichigo's head as he and his team were running through the Senkaimon, back to the Soul Society.

"Hey, Ichigo, are you alright?" Shūhei asked, upon seeing the Lieutenant in distress.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm alright. I'm just trying to figure out what to make of the situation in Karakura, and what to tell Captain Aizen. I have a feeling he's going to be disappointed that I failed." Ichigo replied.

"Don't worry, Ichigo. Captain Aizen is a kind, understanding man. If you tell him exactly what happened, I'm sure he won't be too disappointed, if at all." Miyako said from the head of the pack.

"Well, I guess we'll see soon enough, won't we? The exit is just ahead of us." Ichigo pointed in front of him, to where a doorway of bright light had appeared and was rapidly increasing in size.

As the three rushed through the gateway, they were engulfed by a flash of light. Barely a moment later, the light had subsided and they were now standing on familiar ground.

The Soul Society. The Seireitei. Home.

"Well, this has been real fun guys, but I'm gonna be heading off. I need to report in to Captain Tōsen. Catch you later!" Shūhei said with a quick wave before he vanished in a blur of Flash Step.

"Indeed… I must report to Kaien, unless Captain Ukitake has recovered from his current bout of illness. It was a pleasure to work with you, Ichigo." Miyako said with a smile, as she bowed to her cousin.

"Likewise, Miyako. I hope we can go on another mission together sometime. I just hope the next one is more successful." Ichigo chuckled, bowing to Miyako before they both parted ways with Flash Step.

###

Over at Squad Five, Captain Aizen was overseeing the training of his new recruits. It was a bright, sunny day, so he decided that it would be a good idea to do some teamwork-related exercises out in the Squad Training Yard, rather than be cooped up inside all day, learning about Kidō and how to effectively use them in battle against Hollows.

"Ah, welcome back, Ichigo. How was the World of the Living?" Captain Aizen asked almost as soon as Ichigo materialised behind him.

"Same as ever. Turns out it's only been about six weeks since I died there… Who knew?" Ichigo said with a shrug as his Captain turned to face him.

"Ah, yes… Not many people are aware of the different temporal resonance each realm has. I imagine it was quite a shock to you." Aizen spoke, a warm smile on his face as he adjusted his thick-framed glasses. "I don't mean to be rude, but how did the mission go? I'd very much like to hear about what happened."

"Oh, yeah… Right. I suppose I do need to tell you what happened, huh?" Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

He was the Lieutenant of Squad Five. Captain Aizen had selected him to be his Lieutenant because of his skills. He had also recommended to the Head Captain that Ichigo take point on the mission to the World of the Living for the very same reason. He was a little worried about having to tell his Captain that he had let him down.

"That would be ideal, yes. Come, step into my office. We can discuss the mission over a cup of tea." Aizen put his arm around Ichigo as he ushered his Lieutenant towards his office.

As Ichigo entered the Captain's office, he was offered a seat in front of Aizen's desk. He sat down and watched as Aizen poured two cups of tea.

"So, what happened? Was Captain Kurotsuchi right when he said the culprit was a Hollow?" Aizen asked, looking at Ichigo as he took a sip of his tea.

"Well, not exactly… Turns out the most likely guilty party were a group of people known as Bounts." Ichigo began.

"Bounts?" Aizen repeated, raising an eyebrow. "I don't believe I've heard of such a thing before. What is a Bount?"

"From what I was told, a Bount is a spiritually aware human that can live forever by consuming the souls of dead humans. Apparently, humans have been known to refer to Bounts as vampires." Ichigo explained.

"An immortal human? How intriguing… Where did you learn of this?" Aizen questioned.

"I actually ran into one of the Bounts by happenstance. She was trying to escape them when she ran into me… Literally." Ichigo said, rubbing his head in the spot where it had hit the concrete the first time Yoshino ran into him.

"I see… Then what happened?" Aizen took another sip of his tea, beckoning Ichigo to do the same.

"Well, that's where things get… Complicated." Ichigo said, looking at his Captain, who raised an eyebrow.

Ichigo spent the next hour telling Aizen all about what happened in the World of the Living, starting with the meeting with Maki Ichinose and Koga in the hospital, to his fight with Utagawa and Grimmjow, followed by his subsequent rematch with Ichinose, and ending with what happened at the Bount Mansion and the disappearance of Yoshino.

"I see…" Captain Aizen stood up and poured himself another cup of tea. "What do you make of all this, might I ask?"

"Honestly, Captain, I don't know. The fact that the Bounts had cleared out of their mansion and Ichinose ambushed us leads me to believe the Bounts had been tipped off to our presence. Logically speaking, I'd assume Yoshino to be the one who told them, as she was one of the few people who knew about our being there… But that would make no sense, given the fact she willingly told us everything about her comrades." Ichigo explained.

"It would seem you're questioning the validity of the information given to you by the informant, as well as their motivations for telling you what they know. That's good, you're learning quickly. However, there is one thing that I'm curious about…" Captain Aizen began.

"What would that be, sir?" Ichigo asked, looking at his Captain with confusion.

"You said 'one of the few people who knew about our being there'. That would suggest others knew as well. Would you mind explaining that to me?" Aizen asked, his smile now gone, his face now had a look of interest. "And before you try to make up some elaborate fabrication, just know I've been at this a long time. I learned a lot about the art of deception, thanks to my former Captain."

"Ok, Captain, I haven't been entirely truthful with you…" Ichigo began, holding his hands up. "There was someone else who knew we were there… Well, three someones, to be exact."

"Let me guess; Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi and Yoruichi Shihōin?" Aizen said, as he put his cup back down and returned to his desk.

"Wha-? How did…? How did you know that?" Ichigo asked in shock.

"When you mentioned three people knew, it wasn't hard to figure out. Those three have been on the run from the Soul Society for decades." Aizen explained.

"Yeah, they mentioned they were no longer welcome in the Soul Society… Something about being in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Ichigo said, remembering what Kisuke said to him.

"Really? Is that what they told you?" Aizen said, letting out a humourless chuckle. "No, no, my dear boy. I'm afraid they've been lying to you. Would you like to know why they are on the run? Kisuke Urahara murdered my former Captain and several other Captain and Lieutenant Class Soul Reapers."

Ichigo merely looked at Aizen, his jaw hanging open. Aizen took this as a sign to continue.

"You see, Kisuke Urahara was the Captain of Squad Twelve and the founder of the Department of Research and Development. He was always curious about the unknown and would devote most of his time into experiments. It was soon after he became Captain, he made a terrifying creation. An object that is capable of turning Soul Reapers into Hollows, and vice versa. He called it the Hōgyoku." Aizen explained, looking at Ichigo, who seemed more and more surprised as he learned more.

"Several decades ago, Kisuke Urahara was experimenting on citizens of the Rukon District, trying to turn them into Hollowfied beings. It took us about nine years to catch him in the act, but during that time, he murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent souls in the Rukon. At one point, the Head Captain sent a team of Soul Reapers from Squad Nine to investigate. When the team arrived at the site where all the souls had vanished, Tessai Tsukabishi, with his knowledge of Kidō, used a Forbidden Kidō to trap the members of the squad in place so Kisuke could experiment on them. Only one from that team made it back alive that night, none other than Kaname Tōsen. The only reason he survived was due to the intervention of my Captain, and several others. Unfortunately, while they were able to save Kaname, they lost their lives. Kaname was able to make it back to the Seireitei and inform Head Captain Yamamoto. The next morning, we found and arrested both men." Aizen retold the story of what happened to his former Captain and several other Soul Reapers.

"No way… Kisuke didn't seem like the evil mad scientist type. He seemed nice to me. Hell, if you told me Captain Kurotsuchi was involved, I'd believe _that_." Ichigo said, thinking back on his meeting with the man in question. "But there is one thing I'm curious about; how does Yoruichi fit into this?"

"Ah, yes… Captain Shihōin was guilty by association. It was none other than her who broke into the chambers of Central 46, where she proceeded to assist the two criminals escape from justice. Her actions inevitably sealed her fate too." Captain Aizen looked at Ichigo before carrying on. "Ichigo, that individual who killed that Bount and almost killed you… That… Arrancar, as you called it; I have reason to believe it was a creation of Kisuke Urahara's."

"No, that… That's not possible… He never made any mention of Kisuke, nor did Kisuke make any mention of the Arrancar. When I told him what it was, he looked just as confused as I was." Ichigo said, shaking his head.

"That's all well and good, Ichigo, but let me ask you something; was it coincidence that Kisuke Urahara just happened to come across you after you nearly died that night? Do you really think he and Tessai just somehow managed to be in the exact same area as you when you were attacked?" Aizen asked, causing Ichigo to think for a moment.

"But that wouldn't make any sense though. I mean, why target me? What reason would Kisuke have for wanting me dead? He doesn't even know me." Ichigo said, earning an agreeing nod from his Captain.

"Alright, then perhaps you can tell me more about your father. He was once Captain of Squad Ten, but he disappeared almost twenty years ago. Why did he keep the knowledge of him being a Soul Reaper from you, if he knew you could see spirits?" Aizen looked at Ichigo once more. He could see his Lieutenant was giving his words some serious thought.

"Well, Dad told me he never really believed in spirits and that I was just making it up. He claimed that because he couldn't see them, they weren't real." Ichigo said, recalling an argument he had with Isshin one night when he was late home for dinner because he was helping out a spirit.

"Interesting… Are you familiar with power transferral?" Aizen asked.

"No, not really… Wait are you saying Kisuke _stole_ my dad's powers?!" Ichigo asked in disbelief.

"No, no… Although that wouldn't surprise me. It's likely that your father lost his powers because of something Kisuke Urahara did. Perhaps he had no knowledge of it, or perhaps he gave them up willingly, who can say?" Aizen said with a shrug.

To Ichigo, this revelation hit him like a freight train, but to Aizen, however, this was simply another move in his little game to try and coerce Ichigo into joining him. Aizen knew _exactly_ who was behind the deaths of his former Captain and the other Soul Reapers, and how Isshin had lost his Soul Reaper powers, but he wasn't about to tell Ichigo the truth.

To Aizen, this was a game of chess, and while there were still many pieces in play, and there were still countless moves left to be played, Aizen already had Ichigo in 'Check'.

"If there is anything you wish to discuss with me, my door is always open to you. If that is all, you are dismissed for the day, Lieutenant." Aizen said, his usual warm, kind-hearted smile was on his face again.

"No, that was all. Thank you, Captain." Ichigo said as he stood up and headed towards the office door.

"Oh, Ichigo…" Aizen said, causing Ichigo to turn and look back at his Captain.

"Keep this little talk between us. Most of the Captains and other Seated Officers who were around when this happened are still ashamed of how easily they were fooled by Kisuke Urahara. They'd prefer to keep that night buried away and never discuss it again; especially the Head Captain. So, as far as anyone else is concerned, we never had this conversation." Aizen looked at Ichigo, who simply nodded in return.

"I understand, Captain." Ichigo bowed one more time before leaving the Captain's office.

 _So… Gin decided to pick Grimmjow for the mission. Odd, I never would have expected him to do that…_ Aizen thought as he poured another cup of tea, making a mental note to ask Gin about his choice.

###

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Tatsuki? What if Dr. Kurosaki is still grieving?" Orihime asked as her best friend dragged her down the street to the Kurosaki Clinic.

"Would you relax, Orihime? Isshin is cool. He's not the sort of guy who'd simply clam up and become a hermit because he lost his son. When his wife died, he was like a rock for his kids; he'll be fine." Tatsuki said dismissively as they reached the Kurosaki Household and knocked on the door.

"Oh, would you look at that, no-one's home. Well, we tried. Let's go!" Orihime said after there was no answer within five seconds.

"Would you cut it out, Orihime? This might be our only way of finding out how to contact Ichigo. Don't you want that?" Tatsuki asked, grabbing Orihime by the collar of her blouse and pulling her back by her side.

A few moments later, the door opened and standing at the door was none other than Isshin Kurosaki.

"Well, I've been wrong before…" Tatsuki mumbled to Orihime, upon seeing the sight of the Kurosaki patriarch.

Isshin Kurosaki was a mess. His hair was scruffy and unkempt, his beard was very, _very_ messy, he had bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in days and he was incredibly pale. In one of his hands was a mug of coffee and in the other was a TV Remote. He was wearing a white bath robe and a pair of pink slippers.

"Oh, hello girls. Fancy seeing you here. What can I do for you?" Isshin said; his voice was weak and croaky. Tatsuki assumed this was the first time he had spoken in days. "If you're looking for Ichigo, I'm afraid he's not here right now… I'm sure he'll be back soon." Isshin's eyes began to water slightly.

"Ah, jeez…" Tatsuki whispered. She was sorely regretting coming to see Isshin now. She had _no idea_ he was like this. "Actually, Isshin, that's why we're here; we wanted to talk to you about Ichigo."

"Really, what's wrong? Is he failing his classes at school? Oh, I told that boy he should spend more time focussing on his studies and not going out to run errands for the family." Isshin said, shaking his head sadly.

"No, that's not it… Look, I'm just going to level with you. We saw Ichigo yesterday. He was… Different. He was wearing this black robe and carried a giant sword with him. Uryū told us he was something called a Soul Reaper." Tatsuki said, and upon hearing the words 'Soul Reaper' Isshin dropped the mug of coffee and the TV Remote.

"A… A what? I'm afraid I don't know what that is." Isshin said, trying his best to feign ignorance.

"C'mon, Isshin, you really expect me to believe that? Your reaction would beg to differ." Tatsuki said, raising an eyebrow.

"What, that? Oh, don't be silly, Tatsuki! That was just… Just… That was just because I got a shock from the remote for the TV. You know how 'shocking' those batteries can be, right?" Isshin replied, laughing weakly.

"Tatsuki, I think we should just go… Maybe Uryū had better luck with his dad…" Orihime whispered, watching as Isshin bent down to pick up the broken coffee cup and the remote.

"Yeah, alright… Sorry to bother you, Isshin." Tatsuki sighed in defeat.

"Oh, it's no problem girls! Say, if you see Ichigo on your travels, be sure to let him know that dinner will be ready soon. I think Yuzu is making his favourite!" Isshin said as he waved to the two girls as they left the Kurosaki Residence.

"Man, what happened to the Isshin from nine years ago? That guy was rock solid. But this guy? Pfft, a stiff breeze could knock that guy over!" Tatsuki said, shaking her head.

"He's in denial, Tatsuki. You know the five stages of grief; the first stage is denial." Orihime said, helpfully.

"Yeah, I know, I know… I just… I don't know, after Masaki's death, I thought nothing could break the guy, but I guess losing your only son at such a young age would be enough to break anyone." Tatsuki replied as they walked down the street. "I can only hope Uryū had better luck…"

###

Uryū rubbed the bridge of his nose before putting his glasses back on and sighing. Talking with his father proved difficult at the best of times, but trying to talk to him about his Quincy heritage and the death of his mother? Uryū knew he had a mountain to climb.

Shaking his head, he walked through the sliding doors of Karakura Hospital and made his way towards Reception. He was greeted by a young female nurse.

"Oh, good afternoon, Uryū!" She said with a bright smile. "How can I help you today?"

"Good afternoon, is Ryūken in his office?" Uryū asked, nodding at the nurse.

"Hmm, let me see…" She turned to a computer and began typing things into it. "Ah, yes! His afternoon is mostly free! He has surgery to perform in a few hours, but you're more than welcome to go see him!"

"Thank you." Uryū nodded once more and made his way towards the elevators. He entered one and hit the button for the top floor.

After a few minutes, the elevator dinged and Uryū got off and walked down the hallway. Right at the end, there was a pair of large wooden doors, which had the name ' _R. Ishida – CEO and Director of Surgical Operations_ ' on a golden plaque in the middle of one of them. Uryū knocked and waited for a response.

"Enter." The response came. Uryū simply rolled his eyes at how blunt his father was and opened the door.

Ryūken Ishida was sat behind his desk, examining a patient file for his upcoming surgery. He always liked to spend several hours preparing, it was one of the reasons why he was one of the best doctors in all of Japan.

"Uryū…" Ryūken regarded his son with a narrow stare, before returning to his file. "What do you want? I'm busy."

"Nice to see you too, Ryūken." Uryū replied coldly.

"Is that anyway to address your father? Show some respect." Ryūken snapped, placing the folder on the desk and closing it. "I'll ask again; what do you want."

"Answers." Uryū demanded, getting a rise from Ryūken. "I want to know more about what happened to mother nine years ago."

"You already know what happened; she fell into a coma then died three months later. There's your answer." Ryūken spoke, an icy tone evident in his voice.

"I know that much, but did you know that on the day mother fell into a coma, Ichigo's mom died?" Uryū asked, causing Ryūken to scoff.

"Of course I did. As much of a bumbling imbecile Isshin is, he's still my friend. I went to her funeral, so I left you with Sōken, remember?" Ryūken looked at his son, wondering why he was asking these questions.

"Yes, I remember… It was the only time you willingly let Grandfather look after me. That aside, you don't find that coincidental? That on the same day Ichigo's mom died, mother just so happened to slip into a coma?" Uryū asked, examining his father's actions, trying to get a read on him.

"Why the sudden interest in this, Uryū? You've never been one to talk about your mother's passing, or anything to do with Ichigo Kurosaki, or his mother." Ryūken questioned, looking at his son more intensely.

"Very well, I'll simply cut to the chase; Ichigo Kurosaki is a Soul Reaper and I believe that such an occurrence is more than mere coincidence. To become a Soul Reaper, one must possess a large amount of spirit energy. Considering that fact, and the fact that we come from a long line of Quincy blood, it stands to reason someone in Ichigo's family had large quantities of spirit energy that were passed on to him." Uryū said.

"Don't tell me how spiritual lineage works, Uryū… Remember who Sōken entrusted with the Quincy Cross. I know more than enough about how the spirit world works." Ryūken countered dangerously. He didn't like where this was going.

"Then you, of all people, must know that there's more to what happened nine years ago, other than mere coincidence!" Uryū said, raising his voice slightly.

"Watch your tone with me, boy. I'm not some half-wit imbecile like that Asano boy you go to school with. Don't talk to me with such disrespect!" Ryūken growled.

"Then just answer my questions! Is the death of mother linked to the death of Masaki Kurosaki?!" Uryū yelled.

"Of course it is! You'd be a fool not to know that!" Ryūken snapped, slamming his hands on his desk, causing the room to grow silent for a few moments.

"What happened? It was a Hollow, wasn't it?" Uryū asked; his voice was barely louder than a whisper.

"No… A Hollow was not responsible. It was someone closer to home…" Ryūken said, not looking up from his desk. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the _Kaiser Gesang_?"

"The Emperor's Song? Sure, it's a tale in Quincy History that makes mention of a sealed King." Uryū replied, recalling what his Grandfather had told him when he was a child.

"Then tell me what the tale pertains to…" Ryūken demanded, more than asked.

"According to the tale, once the seal has been broken, the King would regain his heart after 900 years, his intellect would return 90 years later, followed by the return of his powers nine years after that. What does this have to do with anything?" Uryū asked. He knew Ryūken despised his Quincy bloodline, so why was he trying to quiz Uryū on a tale from their history?

"Precisely, and the way the King regains his powers is by taking them from Quincy that are deemed 'impure'." Ryūken explained, looking at his son again, hoping he could connect the dots.

"Right, but what does a tale from Quincy History have to do with anything?" Uryū asked, causing his father to sigh.

"You really are a fool, aren't you, son?" Ryūken said coldly. "Both your mother and Masaki Kurosaki died as a result of losing their powers."

"What?" Uryū whispered. He couldn't find the words to form a proper reply. "But then that means…"

"Yes, Masaki Kurosaki was a Quincy. An Echt Quincy at that. Once upon a time, we were arranged to be married, as I am also an Echt Quincy. Arranged marriages between Echt Quincy were common, in order to keep the already dwindling bloodline 'pure'. Instead, she ended up marrying Isshin, while I ended up marrying your mother, who was a Gemischt Quincy." Ryūken began.

"Does Dr. Kurosaki know his wife was a Quincy?" Uryū asked.

"Such a stupid question… Isshin Kurosaki was a Soul Reaper. There's your connection to Ichigo. His father was one of them." Ryūken snapped. "Now stop interrupting, if you want me to tell you the truth."

Uryū simply stared at his father, who took it as a sign to continue.

"What happened to Masaki and your mother was tragic, and one of the reasons why I lost faith in the Quincy name. They died, because some bastard King decided they were 'impure'. So he took their powers and their lives. Your mother would have died immediately, were it not for her powers. Masaki, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. The reason she died, was because she lost her powers battling a Hollow long ago, and Isshin gave up his powers in order to save her life. Since she had no powers to lose, the Quincy King took her life instead. Kanae was a different story. Since she still had her powers, after the King took them, she fell into a coma. She remained there until the effect of losing her powers was too much for her body to cope with, and she died." Ryūken had sat back down in his chair, taken off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"I don't understand… If Masaki was an Echt, why was she killed? I thought the Quincy King only took power from those he deemed 'impure'." Uryū asked, trying to wrap his head around what he was being told.

"You're right, but Masaki married and had kids with a Soul Reaper. In his eyes, she was just as impure as your mother, or any other Gemischt Quincy for that matter." Ryūken said, putting his glasses back on.

"So, what you had said about not embracing the Quincy life because there was 'no profit in it' wasn't true?" Uryū asked.

"No, that part is still true, much like what I said about you having no talent for the craft. But the main reason is because I refuse to believe in a King who so callously executes his own kind simply because of their blood, or who they share their souls with, and I want you to have no part of that either." Ryūken glared at his son before picking up the file on his desk once more. "Unless you have something else to discuss, you can get out. I have an operation to prepare for."

Uryū merely shook his head and left his father's office, slamming the door behind him for good measure. Ryūken simply scoffed and began going over the patient file again.

###

"Argh, come on! Why the hell can't I get this right?" Renji yelled, looking at his hands.

"You're not focussing enough, Renji. Look at where you want it to go, and focus only on that." Izuru said, trying to help his friend.

"Oh, yeah, thanks Izuru. That's great advice. What other pearls of wisdom have you got for me?" Renji replied dryly.

"Jeez, Renji… Izuru's only trying to help. Don't bite his head off!" Momo scolded the redhead.

"Well, sooooorry! I can't help it that I'm struggling to focus. First Ichigo graduates after one year, and now _this_?! You know what this is, right? It's bullshit!" Renji growled, dropping to the ground in a huff.

Renji, Izuru and Momo were all over at the Academy Training Field, helping Renji practice his Kidō. Needless to say, it was not going well.

"Knock it off, Renji. You're acting like a child. So what if you're struggling at Kidō? Izuru's not exactly the best at Zanjutsu, and I'm not the greatest at Hakuda. Everyone has their weak points. You're good at Zanjutsu, so just stick to improving at that." Momo said, sitting next to Renji, with Izuru on the other side.

"Tch, that's easy for you to say… You're not the one who's getting left behind." Renji scowled.

"What are you talking about, Renji? No-one's getting left behind. Look, if you're that worried about it, why don't you just ask Ichigo for some help when he gets back?" Izuru suggested.

"Yeah, that's a great idea! I'm sure Ichigo would be more than happy to help you out, Renji! Why don't you ask him?" Momo said, with a bright look on her face.

"Nah, why bother? He's too busy playing 'Mr. Big Shot Soul Reaper' to help someone like me." Renji grumbled.

"Well, if you're going to act like that, you can do it on your own." A familiar voice spoke from behind the trio, causing them to turn around. All three of them saw Ichigo walking over.

"Hey, Ichigo! You're back!" Izuru beamed, standing up and bowing to his friend.

"ICHIGO!" Momo yelled in excitement, as she stood up, took three steps, leapt into Ichigo's arms and gave him a deep, passionate kiss as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Wow… That's certainly unexpected…" Renji said, trying his best not to stare at the couple openly making out in front of him. "Ahem!"

Momo heard Renji clear his throat in order to get her attention, resulting in her climbing down from her boyfriend and smiling like a goof.

"What? I missed him. It's been like a month." She said, looking at her two friends, who were simply grinning.

"Hey, we didn't say anything…" Izuru said, holding his hands up.

"Heh… It's been a month for you, but only three days for me. How have you all been?" Ichigo said, smiling.

"Yeah, we've been good. Well, Momo and I have at least. Renji's been a grump for the past few days now. Ever since…" Izuru said, looking at Renji, who merely sighed.

"What, what's happened?" Ichigo asked, looking from Izuru, to Renji then to Momo.

"Oh, well, apparently, if Renji can't improve his Kidō by the end of the month, he'll be forced to remain in the Academy until he improves. He says that his instructors have all but given up on him and refuse to teach him. So he's a little bummed out." Izuru said.

"Oh, so that's why he's being such a grump. Look, Renji, I don't mind taking some time out of my days to help you… Unless you'd rather have me doing my 'Mr. Big Shot Soul Reaper' stuff instead?" Ichigo teased, causing Renji to turn red from embarrassment.

"Yeah, about that… I'm sorry, Ichigo. I just thought that, what you now being in a Squad, you'd forget all about us. I guess it kinda stung when you graduated after just one year." Renji said, looking down at his feet.

"Why, Renji? Everyone has different talents. Momo and Izuru are good at Kidō, and you're good at Zanjutsu. Don't be ashamed that someone is better than you at something." Ichigo said, trying to cheer his friend up.

"Yeah, but you're good at everything! Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kidō… You get the idea. Why can't I be good at everything like you?" Renji said, still sulking.

"Look, man, don't worry about it. You think I'm the best at everything? Think again. Captain Unohana is the best Kidō users in the Soul Society; Captain Soifon is one of the best Hakuda Masters around, and Captain Zaraki's skills with a blade and his raw spiritual power… Well, it's terrifying. Even Captain Kyōraku is considered to be the best swordsman in the Soul Society. The only one who can outclass all others in every field is the Head Captain himself. You can't be the best at everything, Renji. Even if my growth rate and talent is excellent, there's always going to be someone better than me, like Captain Aizen." Ichigo said, hoping that would lift Renji's spirits.

"What's Captain Aizen like, Ichigo? I've always wanted to meet him!" Momo said, tugging on Ichigo's sleeve.

"He's a really nice guy. He's always willing to assist me with my training and will always be ready to give me a push in the right direction so that I can perform my duties as a Lieutenant and a Soul Reaper more efficiently." Ichigo said with a smile.

"Ohh, he sounds so cool! I can't wait to graduate and join Squad Five with you, Ichigo!" Momo said, hugging her boyfriend's arm.

"Yeah, I agree. Captain Aizen sounds really nice. He even does a Calligraphy Class at the Academy, and it's so popular with the students, that some have to sit outside in the hallways because the classes are packed!" Izuru said with a smile.

"What about you, Renji? It sounds like Squad Five would be the place for you to go if you want to get better at your skills, since I'm sure Captain Aizen would be more than happy to help you." Momo said.

"Ah, what the hell! Sounds good to me, but I think I'm getting ahead of myself. Right now, I need to practice my Kidō, so that I don't get left behind!" Renji said, with a renewed sense of determination.

The four friends were all about to take a break for the morning, until another Soul Reaper Lieutenant arrived by way of Flash Step.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant Kurosaki? I hate to interrupt your day, especially since I know you just returned from a mission earlier this morning, but would you come with me? There's something that requires your assistance." Ichigo turned around and saw none other than Nanao Ise standing before him, the large book she carried with her still in her hands.

"Oh, hey Nanao. What's the matter? I'd be more than happy to help with whatever it is you need. Did Captain Kyōraku pass out in the Squad Eight Fountain again?" Ichigo asked.

"No, not today. I _think_ he's doing his paperwork – stress the word 'think'. I asked Third Seat Enjōji to watch over him until I return, but Captain Kyōraku always finds a way to wriggle out of his duties. Last time, he had a recording of someone writing on paper and turning pages that he played on a loop while he went out drinking with Lieutenant Matsumoto. I don't even know _where_ he got something like that from." Nanao sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Damn, Captain Kyōraku sounds like he knows how to party." Renji said, earning a disapproving look from Nanao.

"I'd advise you keep such comments to yourself, Mr. Abarai. The last thing I need is Academy Students encouraging him or trying to emulate him." Nanao said.

"Uhh, right… Sorry, Lieutenant Ise." Renji said, bowing in apology.

"That's alright. Now, Lieutenant Kurosaki, if you please?" Nanao gestured for Ichigo to follow her.

"Oh, right. Lead the way, Nanao. I'll see you guys later!" Ichigo waved before following Nanao with Flash Step.

"See you, Ichigo…" Momo said, sounding dejected.

"What's the matter, Momo? You'll see Ichigo later." Izuru said.

"Yeah, I know, it's just… Well, he only _just_ returned and now he's off again." Momo sighed.

A moment later, Ichigo returned, much to the confusion of his friends.

"I almost forgot…" Ichigo began, before putting an arm around Momo's waist and pulling her in for a deep, lingering kiss. After several long seconds, Ichigo broke the kiss and look at Momo. "I'll see you later." He smirked and lightly kissed her on the tip of her nose, before vanishing again.

"Okay, now I'm satisfied." She said as she turned to her two friends, smiling like a goof once again.

"Well, well… Aren't you a woman pleaser?" Nanao said with a slight grin as Ichigo caught up to her.

"Ah, what can I say? She hasn't seen me in a month. I figured I owe her a little bit of affection." Ichigo said with a smirk as the pair raced across the Seireitei.

###

Over at Squad Three, Captain Gin Ichimaru was going over some paperwork that his Third Seat had given him. Having no Lieutenant certainly made his job more difficult, but he managed all the same. He was so engrossed in his duties, that he didn't hear the door to his office open and close.

"Ahem!" The visitor cleared his throat, causing Gin to look up from his desk.

"Oh, good morning, Captain Tōsen! Or is it afternoon? I can't tell; I've been locked in this stuffy room all morning!" Gin said, fanning himself with a Squad Expense Report from their last mission.

"It's still morning, Gin. Captain Aizen wishes to speak with you." Kaname said, his sightless eyes looking out the window Gin had installed just for him.

It was a cruel joke, but Gin always found the humour in the fact that every time Kaname came to his office, he'd stare at the exact same spot on the wall, so he decided to put a window there. Every time he'd enter his office, Gin would always chuckled to himself; something that Kaname never seemed to notice.

"Oh, really? Well, can you say 'saved by the bell'? I was just looking for a reason to stretch my legs." Gin said, standing up.

"Not now. This evening. The usual meeting place." Kaname said, not moving as he spoke. Gin thought he was talking to a statue that had been given the ability to talk.

"Ah, I see… One of _those_ meetings? Very well, I'll be there, Kaname! Don't you worry about that!" Gin said, flashing the man a smile, even though he knew the Squad Nine Captain wouldn't see it.

Captain Tōsen merely nodded before leaving Gin's office Gin sat back down and returned to his paperwork.

"Hmm, this is much too boring. I wonder where I put those playing cards…" Gin said to himself as he began to rummage through his desk. "Ah-ha! Found you! Let me see… Perhaps I'll build the Eiffel Tower today… Hmm, no, that's much too easy… Ooh! I know! Let's build Buckingham Palace! I've always admired the Queen of England. She has such nice dogs…"

###

Ichigo and Nanao had arrived at their destination, and it confused Ichigo greatly.

"Uhh, Nanao? Why are we outside the Squad Six Barracks?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't know the specifics, I was just asked to escort you here, as Captain Kuchiki wishes to see you." Nanao said, looking at her fellow Lieutenant.

"Huh? Captain Kuchiki? Oh, man… I hope I haven't done anything to offend him…" Ichigo said.

"No, no… It's nothing like that. Captain Kuchiki needs someone to assist him with something, and I was told he asked for you personally." Nanao said, smiling when she saw Ichigo breathe a sigh of relief.

"Oh, well that's good. I was gonna say, I've been in the World of the Living for the past three days, or a month for you guys. I couldn't have done anything recently." Ichigo said as he and Nanao walked up the steps to the main offices of Squad Six.

As he and Nanao were about to enter, they both saw Yachiru leaving with a handful of candy and a lollipop.

"Hey, Nana! Hey, Ichi! Welcome back!" She said happily.

"Lieutenant Kusajishi, what are you doing here?" Nanao asked, looking at the small girl.

"I was just visiting Byakushi's Grandpa! I wanted to talk to him about building a pool for the Women's Soul Reaper Association!" Yachiru beamed, taking another lick of her lollipop.

"Oh, please don't tell me you've already started building it again… Lieutenant Kuchiki won't be impressed, you know." Nanao said, shaking her head.

"Naw, don't worry about Byakushi, Nana! He said yes!" Yachiru said, still smiling widely.

"What? How on earth did you manage to convince him to allow that?!" Nanao cried in shock, dropping her book to the ground with a loud thud.

"Oh, it was easy! I just simply told him that Byakushi was a meanie for destroying our last pool and told him it'd be a great addition to his house! Plus, I told him it'd be a great way for Sana to relax on a day like today. Oh, and I also told him it'd be good for his old bones too!" Yachiru explained, taking a pause to shove some chocolate in her mouth.

"Ohh, _please_ don't tell me you called Captain Kuchiki 'old'…" Nanao groaned.

"Yeah? What's wrong with that, Nana? He _is_ old! Not as old as Gramps, but he's still up there!" Yachiru said, looking at Nanao with a confused look.

"Yachiru, you can't go around calling Captains 'old'. Especially not when they're also the head of a Noble Family." Nanao explained.

"Why not? He agreed with me. He even laughed about it." Yachiru said.

Nanao really had no words to respond to that.

"Well, I'll be seeing ya! I need to go make sure Kenny hasn't killed Baldy today!" Yachiru giggled as she walked off. "Bye, Nana! Bye, Ichi!"

"Well that was… Odd." Ichigo commented.

"That's Yachiru for you. Always so full of energy and never thinking before she speaks. Perhaps that's why everyone loves her." Nanao said with a smile. "Shall we go inside, Lieutenant?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah… Lead the way, Nanao." Ichigo said, holding the door open for the bespectacled Lieutenant.

"Oh, thank you… And they say chivalry is dead." Nanao commented.

"Nah, it's not dead, it's just some people don't know what it is. In fact, I doubt anyone in Squad Eleven knows how to spell 'chivalry'. Well, except maybe Yumichika. And I'm pretty sure Kenpachi thinks it's some form of fighting technique." Ichigo replied, causing Nanao to chuckle slightly.

Nanao led Ichigo through the halls of the Squad Six offices, finally arriving outside the Captain's office. Wasting no time, she briskly knocked on the door.

"Come in, Lieutenant Ise." Ginrei said from the other side.

"Good day, Captain Kuchiki. I have brought Lieutenant Kurosaki, like you requested." Nanao said, bowing to the Nobleman.

"Ah, thank you, Lieutenant. I appreciate you doing that for me. You are free to return to your duties. I do hope Shunsui hasn't passed out in the fountain again…" Ginrei said with a faint smirk.

"Yes, well, anything is possible for Captain Kyōraku when I'm not there to babysit him. Have a good day, Sir Ginrei." Nanao said, bowing to the Captain once more before leaving Ichigo and Ginrei alone in the office.

"Please, Ichigo, have a seat. There is something I'd like to ask of you." Ginrei said, beckoning Ichigo to take the seat in front of the Captain's desk.

"Yes, Captain? What can I do for you?" Ichigo asked, sitting down opposite Ginrei.

"I have a proposal for you, and please give it some consideration before you answer. It's… Rather unusual, but it's also quite important." Ginrei began. "Now, I will be honest, I did ask Kaien first, since he is the Shiba Clan Head, but he suggested I ask you, as you are also a Shiba."

"Alright, what did you need me to do, Captain?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, considering you've only been in the Soul Society for about a year, I'm sure you're not aware of how the Noble Houses collaborate with one another." Ginrei said, causing Ichigo to shake his head. "Indeed… Well, every year, one of the Four Great Noble Houses hosts a lavish party to celebrate the Summer Equinox. All the Heads of the Noble Families will be in attendance, as well as a few of our Captains. This year, the Kuchiki Family will be holding that distinct honour. However, there's a slight… Problem."

"A problem? I'm sorry, Captain, I'm afraid I don't follow." Ichigo said, looking at Ginrei.

"The problem, Ichigo, is that Byakuya will not be able to attend, as he is currently away on an assignment for the Head Captain; an unavoidable situation, I'm afraid. However, with that in mind, it is deemed acceptable for the Host Clan to bring in a substitute, one of Noble birth that can represent the Clan at the gathering." Ginrei explained, causing Ichigo to gulp. He had an idea where this was going.

"Let me guess, you asked Kaien and he said no?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, yes and no. As Kaien is the oldest member of the Shiba Family, he is going to be representing them along with his wife, Miyako. When I asked him if he'd be willing to represent the Kuchiki Family, he was a little hesitant, as that would mean his younger brother, Ganju Shiba, would be representing the Shiba Clan. Let's just say Ganju isn't the best fit for these sorts of events." Ginrei said, shaking his head at the notion.

"Uh, yeah… That's putting it mildly…" Ichigo muttered, thinking back to the time he first met Ganju Shiba, his other cousin, on top of Mount Koifushi. "So, if you asked Kaien and he declined, I'm guessing he suggested I fill in for Byakuya?"

"Exactly right, since your father was the Head of the Shiba Clan before his disappearance over twenty years ago you are, by right, a Shiba yourself. Add on the fact you're also a Lieutenant of a Squad, you're more than worthy of being Byakuya's substitute." Ginrei explained.

"Hmm, alright Captain, what do I need to do?" Ichigo asked.

"So you'll do it? Marvellous!" Ginrei said, clapping his hands together and smiling. "In case you weren't aware; as Byakuya's stand-in, you'll be accompanying his wife, Lady Hisana."

"Oh, really? Interesting. I'm pretty sure I'm the only Lieutenant who hasn't met her, am I right?" Ichigo asked.

"That is correct. She's a kind young lady, and a very special one too, considering she was able to melt my Grandson's icy heart." Ginrei said with a slight chuckle. "Anyway, you asked what is required of you. Allow me to give you a quick rundown. As you will be representing the Kuchiki Family, you'll essentially be the host of the event. You and Lady Hisana will arrive together and enter after all the other guests have announced. From there, you will be the one to address the crowd with a rousing speech – don't worry, I'll see to that myself – then you'll spend some time conversing with the Clan Heads of the other Houses, and finally, you and Lady Hisana will be the first ones to dance together, to properly cap off the evening."

"Huh, d-dance? Oh, crap… I, uh, don't know how to do that, Captain." Ichigo said, looking rather worried.

"Is that so…? Hmm not to worry, my boy; I'll have one of my attendants teach you how to dance properly. Just so all our bases our covered, I'll even have them teach you the proper etiquette that is expected of the Head of a Noble Family." Ginrei said with a nod.

"Thank you, Captain, but what about my Squad duties? I just returned from the World of the Living; I'm sure Captain Aizen has many things for me to do." Ichigo began, but stopped when Ginrei held up a hand.

"Again, that has all been taken care of. I was talking to Kaien this morning when Lady Miyako returned. It was then he suggested I talk to you. So, I went over to your barracks to personally ask you, but Captain Aizen told me you had just left. I explained to him what I wanted to ask of you, and he was more than accommodating. He's officially given you time off to prepare for this event and won't allow you to return to active duty until the day after the party." Ginrei explained, earning an impressed nod from the orange haired Lieutenant.

"Well, Captain, it seems you've thought of everything. Yet, one question does spring to mind; why was Nanao the one to come and get me?" Ichigo asked.

"Ah, yes, that… Well, I was just going to wait until you returned to your barracks and have Captain Aizen send you over, but I ran into Lieutenant Ise, who was more than happy to seek you out for me. Such a nice, well-mannered young lady, she is. Sometimes I think Shunsui fails to see that in her, only noticing the… Physical aspects of women, above all else." Ginrei sighed. "That is beside the point; I still haven't told you when the party is, have I?"

"No, you haven't, Captain. That piece of information would be helpful to have." Ichigo said with a chuckle.

"Indeed it would. Well, the Summer Equinox is four days from now, so we have a lot to learn in that time, don't we?" Ginrei said, leaning back in his chair.

"Four days?! Wow, that's really no time at all. Sorry, Renji, looks like your Kidō training will have to wait." Ichigo muttered.

"Hmm, what's that? Kidō training?" Ginrei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah… My friend from the Academy, Renji, is struggling with Kidō and is worried that if he doesn't improve soon, he'll be held back until he gets better. So, I decided I'd try and fit in his training around my other duties." Ichigo explained.

"Ah, I see… Well, how about a compromise; you can spend the next four days preparing for the party, and I'll personally see to your friend's Kidō training." Ginrei said, causing Ichigo to look at Ginrei with shock.

"Y-You're serious?! Wow, thank you, Captain Kuchiki! Renji is going to be thrilled to have a Captain as his teacher!" Ichigo said, standing up and bowing to the Squad Six Captain.

"No need to thank me, Ichigo. It's the least I can do for you; this event is very important for the Kuchiki Clan, our honour and reputation is at stake. The next time you see your friend, be sure to send him over to my office when he has a spare moment. We'll start immediately, and I suggest you do the same. Plus, it'll be a good opportunity to get acquainted with Lady Hisana." Ginrei said.

"Of course, I'll go let Renji know the good news, and then I'll get started. Thanks again, Captain Kuchiki! See you around!" Ichigo called out, as he left the office in a run, causing Ginrei to smile.

"It's so good to see the young ones so energetic and full of life." Ginrei said with a smile as he returned to his paperwork.

###

"Fucking stupid Ulquiorra and his fucking smartass attitude. That asshole claims he wants to help me, yet he refuses to tell me what the fuck that stupid book says! Fuck that prick!" Grimmjow yelled as he stormed down the corridor of Las Noches.

Ulquiorra had given Grimmjow a book that had belonged to Nelliel, ' _The Art of War_ ' by Sun Tzu, but it was all in Chinese, which Ulquiorra had refused to translate. Now Grimmjow was pissed off even more and still had no idea what secrets the book held.

"Hey, you! Dickhead!" Grimmjow yelled at an Arrancar that had walked past him in the corridor.

The Arrancar who Grimmjow had so eloquently referred to as 'Dickhead' sighed and turned around. He was a slim Arrancar with scruffy black hair, which was partly braided in a ponytail and had golden eyes. His mask fragment took the form of a Sabre-Tooth Tiger's skull that sat on top of his head.

"What do you want, Grimmjow." Ggio Vega asked, looking at the blue haired Arrancar.

"You know how to speak Chinese?" He asked, causing Ggio to scoff.

"What the fuck kind of question is that?" He countered, causing Grimmjow to scowl.

"Because, asshole, you're wearing clothes that closely resemble that of someone from China, and the only reason you'd _willingly_ wear that would be because you have some sort of connection with that place." Grimmjow reasoned, earning a surprised grunt from the other Arrancar.

"Very perceptive, Grimmjow." He said in a mocking, sarcastic tone. "Even if I _did_ know how to speak Chinese, what makes you think I'd teach you?"

"Look, asswipe, I've got a book here that's all in Chinese and I can't fucking read it, and since Ulquiorra is being some kind of 'moral, code of ethics' wanker, he won't translate it for me, so I figure you could do it instead." Grimmjow said.

"Huh, _you_ have a book that's written in Chinese? What is it, some kind of porn magazine you found?" Ggio taunted with a condescending smirk.

"Get fucked, Vega. It's a book, _an actual book_. Don't believe me, see for yourself." Grimmjow growled as he pulled the book out from the waist of his pants and handed it to Ggio, who looked at it in shock and awe.

"H-How did…? This is an original copy of Master Sun Tzu's ' _The Art of War_ '!" He exclaimed, examining the book carefully. "Where did you steal this from?"

"God, I'm going to beat the shit out of you in a minute… It's not mine. It belonged to Nelliel before she… You know." Grimmjow muttered, causing Ggio to simply nod in understanding.

It was no secret to all in Las Noches that Grimmjow had feelings for Nelliel, and all knew what he was capable of when someone teased him or made inappropriate comments about her. Even Baraggan told his Fracción to mind what they said around the volatile Arrancar.

"Alright, fine. I'll help you, but as long as I get to make a copy of this for myself. I've always wanted to have my own copy, transcribed from Master Sun Tzu himself." Ggio said, staring at the ancient book with an excited grin on his face.

"Yeah, whatever, just as long as you help me read it and don't damage it, got it?" Grimmjow growled, grabbing the Sabre-Tooth Arrancar by the scruff of the neck as he spoke the last two words.

"Yeah, sure… No problem, buddy!" Ggio said, putting his hands up defensively.

"Fuck off, Vega. Just because I'm letting you help me, doesn't mean we're friends…" Grimmjow replied. "Just get started, I don't have all day."

Both Ggio and Grimmjow headed back to Grimmjow's room, where the pair would start to decipher the secrets left behind by the legendary Chinese General.

###

Sōsuke Aizen hummed as he walked down the large flight of stairs to his hideout. Since Ichigo had returned, he believed it would be beneficial to have a meeting with Gin and Kaname, both of whom were waiting for the man as he arrived.

"Ah hello, Gin. Kaname." Aizen said with a nod as the two Captains returned the acknowledgement.

"Good evening, Captain Aizen. To what do we owe the pleasure?" Gin said, sitting on a table, kicking his legs back and forth.

"Well, Gin, since Ichigo has returned from the World of the Living, I thought it would be prudent to touch base and see how things were going." Aizen explained, taking a seat in a nearby chair.

"Oh, I see. Tell me, how did my prize fighter do against your venerable Lieutenant?" Gin said with a large smile on his face.

"Yes, I wished to discuss that with you; why _did_ you select Grimmjow, of all people?" Aizen asked.

"Well, I thought it'd be a good idea to select someone who loved a good fight and wasn't afraid to get their hands dirty. Grimmjow seemed to fit that bill perfectly." Gin replied, nodding.

"I see… Were none of my Espada worthy enough to accomplish this task?" Aizen said with a slight grin.

"Oh, it wasn't that. I just thought Grimmjow would be a good candidate. Plus I figured I could test his loyalty to you. I'd say that he passed. What do you think, Captain Aizen?" Gin said, looking to his former Commanding Officer.

"Just what are you trying to imply, Gin? That Grimmjow is suitable for a place among the Espada?" Kaname said with an air of disgust at the idea of Grimmjow becoming and Espada.

"That's a great idea, Captain Tōsen! I think Grimmjow should be promoted to an Espada! Don't you agree, Captain Aizen?" Gin said, his signature wide grin spreading across his face again.

"He has accomplished his mission admirably and it was vital to our future endeavours… A great suggestion, Kaname; Grimmjow shall become my Sixth Espada." Aizen said with a nod.

"Ooh, number six? Grimmjow is going to be thrilled by such an honour!" Gin said, applauding the blue haired Arrancar, despite him not being present.

Kaname wanted very much to protest Aizen's decision, but he knew better than to question his master when it came to his plans and judgements. Kaname, instead, simply nodded in agreement.

"Now the interesting part; it seems Ichigo has come into contact with none other than Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi and Yoruichi Shihōin. For the time being, I have managed to keep the situation under control by telling him Kisuke Urahara is a villain and that no-one is to know about what happened. It is unlikely he'll move against us, but if he does, I've managed to plant the seeds of suspicion in Ichigo's mind. That will do, for the time being." Aizen said, pressing his fingertips together.

"What of the boy's Inner Hollow, sir?" Kaname asked.

"Oh, yes, Grimmjow said that–" Gin began, only to be stopped by Aizen.

"I'm well aware of what happened, Gin, thank you. Ichigo already told me everything. It's very good that he's been able to trust me so quickly. From what he told me, the process should be underway, although it's hard to say how long it'll take for his Hollow to fully mature. I can't risk subjecting him to the Hōgyoku right now. Not until I get my hands on Kisuke Urahara's one and combine the two. Should I do it now, we run the risk of having him perish as a result of 'Soul Suicide'." Aizen explained, tapping his index fingers together.

"So, what do we do in the meantime? It's not like Kisuke will just give it to us if we ask nicely." Gin said, frowning.

"Not to worry, Gin. I'm currently working on a plan that'll get us what we want. In the meantime, go about your normal duties and I'll keep a close eye on Ichigo. I've currently given him time off in order to assist Ginrei Kuchiki with a Noble Party that's coming up soon." Aizen commented.

"Would it be too soon for Ichigo to start learning Bankai? Maybe an explosive increase in his power will help speed things along with his Hollow?" Gin suggested.

"It is certainly an avenue I'm considering. Again, this whole situation boils down to a simple 'wait and see' circumstance. After Ichigo resumes his training in a few days' time, I'll see if he's capable of learning Bankai…" Aizen said, leaning back in his chair, creating a myriad of plans and counterplans in his mind.

Being a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, Sōsuke Aizen was certainly no pushover when it came to combat, and his Zanpakutō's Shikai was especially frightening. However, the most terrifying aspect of Sōsuke Aizen wasn't his strength, or his Shikai; it was his intelligence.

In moments, he would be able to plan out an idea and have multiple solutions to any and all scenarios that might come into play. If one tried to think of any way to undo Aizen's plans, Aizen would have already considered that idea and created several options that would result in his victory.

Sōsuke Aizen was truly a frightening man.

###

After agreeing to be Byakuya's stand-in for the Kuchiki's Summer Equinox Celebration, Ichigo had returned to the Academy to inform his friends what was happening.

Izuru was surprised but happy that Ichigo got to attend a Noble Family's party.

Momo was upset that she couldn't go with him, but was still nonetheless happy for her boyfriend.

Renji, on the other hand, had passed out from shock when he heard he'd be receiving Kidō training from Ginrei Kuchiki himself.

Once Ichigo had told his friends what had been asked of him, he immediately left and made his way over to the Kuchiki Manor. He knew one of Ginrei's attendants would be waiting for him and it'd be bad form for him to show up late, especially since Ginrei was going to all this trouble just to help him,

Ichigo had arrived outside the main gates of the Kuchiki Manor, where a short, old man was waiting for him. He had short, grey hair and a long grey beard. He was wearing a set of white and blue robes with a gold medallion. Both the robes and the medallion had the insignia of the Kuchiki Clan. Upon seeing Ichigo, the old man shuffled over to Ichigo. Ichigo was about to greet the old man, until he was smacked over the head with a large stick.

"Oww! What the hell was that for, dammit?!" Ichigo yelled, clutching his head in pain.

"You're late! Unacceptable!" The old man screeched.

"What are you talking about? I'm right on time. Captain Kuchiki told me to be here at this time!" Ichigo replied, confused.

"Unacceptable!" The old man hit Ichigo again. "This isn't your Squad's barracks! You will address the Head of this House as 'Sir Ginrei' or not at all! To answer your first question, I shall give you your first lesson; if you're on time, you're late. Always remember that!"

"Right, right… I got it. So, who exactly are you?" Ichigo asked, looking at the old man.

"I am Daisuke Yamato; Head Attendant of the Kuchiki Clan and attendant to Sir Ginrei himself. You are Ichigo Shiba." Daisuke said, more than asked.

"Uh, actually, it's Ichigo Kurosaki…" Ichigo began.

"Silence!" Daisuke screeched, whacking Ichigo again. "As you are attending a Noble Family's party, you will be addressed as a Shiba, for they are Nobles themselves. Ahh, I have my work cut out for me, Sir Ginrei." Daisuke sighed and turned towards the gates and entered the compound. "Follow!"

Daisuke led Ichigo into the Kuchiki Manor and what Ichigo saw inside floored him. The manor was exquisite; the walls were painted pure white, with intricate and highly detailed patterns acting as a border between the walls and the ceiling. The floors were polished hardwood; so well polished, in fact, it was as if Ichigo was walking on a brown tinted mirror. There were marble statues on pedestals along each side of the hallways and large paintings and tapestries hung from the walls.

"Wooooow…!" Ichigo breathed, taking in the sight before him.

"As this is your first time inside the Kuchiki Manor, I will allow that uncivilised reaction, but only once!" Daisuke warned, holding up his stick as he carried on down the hallway. "Since you shall be accompanying Lady Hisana to the event, I believe it would be sensible to allow the two of you to get properly acquainted."

Ichigo continued to follow Daisuke through the house and into a large garden with a Koi pond. Over in one corner, there were several attendants digging a large hole in the ground. Ichigo couldn't help but smirk at what they were doing it for.

"Yachiru's pool…" Ichigo commented.

"Yes, I received a message from Sir Ginrei to begin preparations for Miss Kusajishi's pool. I'm sure Lord Byakuya won't be pleased, but at least she got permission this time… The amount of times both of them have ruined this garden, I'm glad Sir Ginrei has finally put a stop to it once and for all." Daisuke said, shaking his head.

The pair walked over a small, wooden bridge that crossed a small stream that connected the large Koi pond with a smaller one on the other side of the garden. Ichigo couldn't help but smile as he saw two large Koi fish, swimming down the stream together.

On the other side of the garden was an isolated building that had large sliding doors that open all the way, exposing the entire front of the building to the scenery of the garden and the cool breezes that came with it.

"This is where Lady Hisana spends most of her time while Lord Byakuya and Sir Ginrei are at work. Wait here while I announce your presence to her." Daisuke said, holding up a bony, wrinkled hand.

Ichigo watched as Daisuke opened one of the doors slightly, entered then quickly closed it. A few seconds later, he saw Daisuke reappear, beckoning him to come over.

"Lady Hisana, may I present to you Master Ichigo Shiba, your partner for the Kuchiki Summer Equinox Party, who is standing in for Lord Byakuya, at the request of Sir Ginrei!" Daisuke declared, summoning Ichigo into the room. "Be sure to bow to her when you address her!" He whispered in Ichigo's ear, holding up his stick to reinforce the point.

"Good afternoon to you, Lady Hisana." Ichigo began, bowing before the Lady of the Manor, causing Daisuke to nod. "It is an honour to–" Ichigo suddenly stopped when he looked at Hisana properly for the first time. "RUKIA?! What are _you_ doing here?!" He shouted, taking a step back.

"FOOL! How dare you address Lady Hisana in such a disgraceful way!" Daisuke screeched, whacking Ichigo with his stick once again.

"Please, Master Daisuke, stop!" Hisana called out, causing the old man to freeze as he was about to hit Ichigo again. "How do you know that name?" She asked calmly, looking at Ichigo. Ichigo noticed there was something that looked like hope in her eyes.

"Huh? You mean Rukia? She's one of my friends from the Soul Reaper Academy. Why do you ask?" Ichigo said, seeing Hisana's eyes start to sparkle with joy.

"She… She's my sister!" Hisana whispered, causing Ichigo to look at her with shock.

###

 **A/N; Surprise, motherfucker! I bet you weren't expecting an update from me so soon, huh?**

 **Yes, Ichigo has returned to the Soul Society and already his life is as chaotic as ever! Returning from a tiring mission, only to be thrown into a Noble Party by Sir Ginrei! I thought this would be a cool thing to do, as it'd allow Ichigo to meet with some of the Captains and learn just how** _ **interesting**_ **ritzy parties can be. If you don't like the idea, well, sorry.**

 **Uryū finally learns the fate of his mother and Masaki, and why Ryūken hates his Quincy Heritage. Plus, Isshin is a total mess, and in denial. Poor guy. We'll see more of Ichigo's friends later on, as they start to take a bit of a presence in the story.**

 **Looks like Grimmjow finally found someone to help him with that book of his. I cannot take credit for that. All credit for the idea of introducing Ggio to the story should go to SnowyAssas1n. Bravo, again!**

 **Speaking of Grimmjow, I'm sure some of you are like 'What the fuck, yo? All he did was beat up Ichigo a little bit. Why is he getting promoted to Sixth Espada already?' Well, the reason for that is simple. I have BIG, HUGE plans for Grimmjow later on, so having him become the Sexta Espada is really a moot point. It's merely just to line up with Canon before I diverge to a path of my own.**

 **That's another point I wanted to make; my links to Canon. I really shouldn't need to tell you this, but I will, since some people have left reviews telling me my story is wrong, because it differs from Canon Material… It's a fucking Fanfic, alright? Why in the hell would I just re-write the** _ **exact same**_ **story Tite Kubo has done? Yeah, some things are the same here as in Canon, but that's just to give you a baseline as to where it'd be in regards to Canon. I shouldn't have to say this, but I guess I do now. I'm writing something that borders on AU, because most of the things that happen here are my own ideas, blended with Kubo's or they're simply Kubo's ideas redefined to suit my own purposes. There, rant over. Let us not have to do this again. Please?**

 **Back to the topic; Ichigo and Hisana meet, and Hisana finds out her sister is alive and well, and studying to become a Soul Reaper! Does this mean the two sisters will finally be reunited? The answer is yes, because I always wanted to have a story where Rukia and Hisana were reunited and living together as a family again. So there's that.**

 **Daisuke Yamato was my own creation. I just thought it'd be funny to have an old man screech at Ichigo for being 'unbecoming' for someone from a Noble Family, and hit him with a giant stick for the exact same reason. Also, I picked Daisuke as 'Dai' means 'Great/Large' and 'Suke' means 'Help'. Rather appropriate, considering he's Sir Ginrei's Head Attendant and serves the man personally, don't you agree.**

 **Once again, Aizen doing what he does best; planning and manipulating. Let's see just what happens with that as the story progresses, shall we?**

 **Before I get into reviews for this Chapter, I'd just like to thank all who have Favourited and Followed this Story. You are the reason I write this, so thank you for all the love and support! In just six days, this story has garnered almost 2,000 hits and that is absolutely incredible (At least, it is to me!). Thank you all so much!**

 **Right, I think that's everything, time to do the reviews!**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; I'm pleased you enjoyed this. I know you have questions, but let me ask** _ **you**_ **one; Who's 'Shiro' and 'The Old Man'? Do you mean White and Zangetsu? As for what happened to Ichigo, well… You'll just have to wait and see, hehehe…**

 **Zaraki Jaegerjaquez; Did… Did you just call Ichigo a Nazi? I don't know whether I should be confused or insulted. I'm not 100% sure what 'Alemania' means, so I really don't know what you mean. Although, I got a laugh out of you calling most English-speaking people 'Potato Couches'. I love it! The term is 'Couch Potato', by the way. That being said, you do have good English skills, friend!**

 **SnowyAssas1n; I won't lie; I really didn't like the Bount Arc, but since that's the only one that took place in the World of the Living for the most part, I figured I'd just throw it in there somewhere, y'know? Well, like I've said, I have BIG plans for our favourite blue haired Arrancar, so keep reading to find out what that is! Once again, thank you for suggesting Ggio to be the one to help Grimmjow out. I know he didn't get much of a part in this Chapter, but at least he's now in it, right? Hope you were pleased with his small role.**

 **Chayner; Y'know, I never really thought of his Quincy Heritage as motivation for adding that ability to his repertoire. I just thought it'd be a neat, unique idea of mine that is better than just firing off a condensed charge of spirit energy. Plus it is like an 'Ultimate Move', meaning it can't be used like eight times in a row, like his normal Getsuga, so there's that.**

 **SnoopDoDoubleG; Good, as I never write a Chapter with less than 10,000 words. 10,000 is my minimum, so you can always guarantee my works will be really, really long!**

 **ZeroSquadSephiroth; Thank you! It took me ages to come up with the title. The description, however, was all Snowy's idea. He came up with it in one try and it was too incredible not to use, so credit to that goes to him!**

 **Fathira; Don't worry, I won't forget about Momo. The only reason she's taking a back seat right now is because Ichigo is a Soul Reaper, and she's still in the Academy. Their paths would rarely cross until she becomes a Soul Reaper too. Not sure how I'm going to go about that though… I'll think of something!**

 **Pyrofoxxxx; No, I think** _ **you**_ **got confused with something. This is a** _ **Fanfic**_ **meaning it doesn't have to reflect Canon in** _ **every aspect**_ **. I'm well aware Aizen had those cloaks when he attacked Isshin in the World of the Living. Secondly, I have** _ **no idea what the fuck you're talking about**_ **when you mention the flow of time. Aizen went to Karakura to create the Ōken, and to do that, you need 100,000 Souls and a Jūreichi 1 Spirit Mile in Diameter, which just so happens to be in Karakura, but Kisuke moved the real town to the Soul Society in an attempt to slow him down. Ichigo was in the Dangai for three months, only because time moves 2,000 times slower in there, relative to the World of the Living. To Ichigo, it was three months; to Aizen, it was only an hour. Ergo,** _ **you're**_ **wrong. Also, the Soul Society has been in the Feudal Era for Millennia, as the Head Captain has been alive for over 2,000 years and it was the same then as it is now. The Feudal Era of Japan encompassed the Kamakura Period to the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, and that was from 1185-1603. After that came the Edo Period, which some Districts of the Rukon are said to imitate anyway. Point is, the 'Feudal Era' only lasted 418 Years, while it's always been like that in the Soul Society. Translation; You don't know what you're on about, it's called a fucking setting for a reason, it has nothing to do with the flow of time, and (As good Ol' Chopper Read would say) you're a fuckwit.**

 **Colbet11; Yes, it was the longest Chapter to date, as I couldn't stop writing stuff, unless I severely reduced the quality of my writing and that's not about to happen. I still hope you enjoyed it. As far as things go, the Arrancar will only be appearing in small roles until the story moves to Hueco Mundo and Las Noches. Then they'll become more prominent and the Soul Reapers will be in the more minor roles. It's a shame you find Keigo annoying; I like him. He's a lot like Kon; comic relief. Since Kon won't be in this Fanfic (sorry everyone who loves him), I figured Keigo would be a suitable replacement. But, you can't please all tastes. At least you weren't a dick about it, like** _ **some people**_ **. Yes, the 'special room' is something of a recurring theme. All that BDSM stuff will be more prominent in Las Noches, which I'm sure you knew, if you read all my other A/N's. All in all, I'm pleased you're satisfied and I hope you keep enjoying what I create!**

 **That's all from me! I hope to have the next Chapter up in about a week! This one took me like 2.5 days, so I'm hopeful that it might be sooner. Depends on how busy I am with work.**

 **Pastasaurus, out!**


	13. Blood And Wine

Chapter Thirteen – Blood And Wine

 _ **WARNING; In this Chapter there is a scene which some readers may find disturbing. I strongly advise discretion. I shall mark it, so you know where it starts and ends, should you wish to skip it.**_

* * *

" _How do you know that name?" She asked calmly, looking at Ichigo. Ichigo noticed there was something that looked like hope in her eyes._

" _Huh? You mean Rukia? She's one of my friends from the Soul Reaper Academy. Why do you ask?" Ichigo said, seeing Hisana's eyes start to sparkle with joy._

" _She… She's my sister!" Hisana whispered, causing Ichigo to look at her with shock._

* * *

Ichigo just stood there, staring at the woman before him. He was too shocked to reply. Rukia never mentioned she had a sister, but he knew that this woman wasn't lying. She looked _exactly_ like Rukia. Her hair was the same colour and length and her facial features looked almost identical. But it was the eyes that convinced him; those dark blue eyes, which were full of happiness and wonderment. Ichigo really was looking at Rukia's sister.

"Umm, is everything alright, Master Ichigo?" Hisana asked, looking at the Lieutenant. He looked as if he was about to blow a fuse.

"Lady Hisana asked you a question! Speak!" Daisuke yelled, whacking Ichigo with his large stick.

"Oww! Dammit! Sorry, my lady. I just… I didn't know Rukia had a sister." Ichigo said, rubbing his head and shooting Daisuke an angry glare.

"No, I imagine you didn't. In fact, I'm quite certain Rukia doesn't even know herself…" Hisana said, looking down in sadness.

"Huh? I don't understand? How could Rukia not know she has a sister?" Ichigo asked.

Hisana walked over to a small table and sat down on one side, beckoning Ichigo to join her. When he made his way over and sat down opposite her, she looked over to Daisuke.

"You may leave us for the time being, Master Daisuke. I shall send for you if we need anything in the meantime." Hisana said with a smile.

"Of course, Lady Hisana." Daisuke bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"The reason Rukia has no idea about having a sister is because I, shamefully, abandoned her in the Rukon District when she was a baby; and I just a small child." Hisana began, refusing to look Ichigo in the eye.

"Wha… Why would you do that?" Ichigo asked.

"I was selfish, I suppose. You see, both of were sent to the Soul Society together after dying in the World of the Living long ago. When we arrived in the Rukon, I struggled to support the pair of us and once the struggle became too much, I simply left her alone in the Rukon, while I ran off, both heartbroken ashamed at myself." Hisana said. Ichigo noticed a lone tear had trickled down one of Hisana's cheeks. "Years later, I came across Byakuya in one of the Rukon Districts near the Seireitei. He was out on a mission when we first met. Eventually, after falling in love, we got married. I then spent every waking moment, searching across the Rukon, in an attempt to find Rukia, only to learn that she is now here, in the Seireitei, training to become a Soul Reaper. I'm so proud of her." Hisana wiped the tear away and looked at Ichigo. "You must think me deplorable for my actions."

"What? No! I mean, I don't know… I guess I can understand that it was a struggle to survive, but abandoning your baby sister? I don't think I could ever do that to Karin or Yuzu…" Ichigo said, trying his best to sound understanding.

"Then you, Master Ichigo, are a better person than I. I'm just glad she has friends like you to rely on." Hisana said with a weak smile.

"Well, at least you made an attempt to look for her. I suppose that does count for something. Ahem, so, about this party. Who's going to be there, exactly?" Ichigo asked, trying to change the subject, more for Hisana's sake.

"Oh, yes, well… As I'm sure Sir Ginrei has already told you, the leaders from the Four Great Noble Houses will be present. You and I will be representing the Kuchiki Clan, Sir Kaien and Lady Miyako will be representing the Shiba Clan, Lady Rurichiyo will be representing the Kasumiōji Clan accompanied by Gyōkaku Kumoi; the Kasumiōji Clan Viceroy and young Master Yūshirō will be representing the Shihōin Clan, along with his mother." Hisana explained.

"Wow… Lots of big names… Though, I only know half of them." Ichigo said, eliciting a chuckle from Hisana.

"Well, allow me to list a few more names that I'm sure will know. Sir Ginrei, being it's his Clan hosting. Captain Soifon will be present, as a protective officer for Master Yūshirō and his mother. Lieutenant Ōmaeda and his family are going to be attending too, but between you and me, I'm quite certain Sir Ginrei invited them simply to avoid any arguments. If there's a Noble party and the Ōmaeda's are not invited, we'd never hear the end of it." Hisana laughed. "Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake will also be present. I am unsure if Captain Unohana will be present. We did extend her an invitation, but she hasn't gotten back to us. Same goes for the Head Captain, but I assume he won't be able to attend, and I'm afraid Captain Aizen declined an invitation as well." Hisana finished.

"I see… So a lot of important people will be attending? Well, that's great; I don't think I was quite as nervous as I could have been, until just now." Ichigo said with a smirk.

"Well, just be thankful Sir Kaien managed to talk Lady Shiba out of attending. I don't think he could deal with the embarrassment from the Shihōin's party from last year." Hisana said.

"Huh? I thought you said Miyako was coming?" Ichigo asked, looking confused.

"She is, but I was referring to his sister, Lady Kūkaku. Last year, she got a little too drunk and assaulted Master Marenoshin. In her defence, he _was_ asking for it, what with the inappropriate comments he was making. Despite the Shiba Clan being one of the Four Great Noble Houses, Master Marenoshin still thinks the Ōmaeda Clan is the superior house and, well, Lady Kūkaku didn't take too kindly to his words." Hisana said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, I can understand that. His son's a bit of a dick too. Looks like that's a family trait that is passed down, huh? If we're being honest, I do enjoy watching Yachiru put that smarmy tit in his place at Lieutenants meetings."

"My, my… Such a colourful vocabulary." Hisana teased. "Don't let Master Daisuke hear you talk like that, or he'll whack you into next week with his stick." Hisana put a hand to her mouth, stifling a slight giggle.

"Heh… Yeah, sorry about that. Guess I need to brush up on my language skills, don't I?" Ichigo said, rubbing his head sheepishly.

"Oh, don't you worry about that around me. I've heard Captain Zaraki talk when he's angry. His vocabulary leaves _a lot_ to be desired." Hisana replied.

"Hmm, yeah… I bet he'd be fun at a Noble's party." Ichigo grinned.

Hisana was about to reply, until she heard a knock at the door, which opened to reveal Daisuke standing there.

"Forgive me, Lady Hisana, but I really think it's time I begin teaching Master Shiba how to act while at a Noble's party." He said, bowing to Hisana.

"Oh, but of course. He's all yours, Master Daisuke. Please, come find me when you're done, Master Ichigo; I'd very much like to continue our conversation." Hisana stood up and bowed to Ichigo, who also stood up and bowed.

"As you wish, Lady Hisana. I hope you have a pleasant afternoon." Ichigo said and made his way over to Daisuke, who closed the door behind him.

Hisana went and gathered a few art supplies from a cupboard on the opposite side of the room before she sat back down, and when she did, she heard the familiar sound of Daisuke's stick hitting Ichigo on the head before proceeding to scald the boy.

"Unacceptable! I heard your language in there! Disgraceful!" He screeched.

"Oww! What the hell?! Were you sat outside listening to us or something?" Ichigo shouted.

"Don't talk to me in that tone of voice, boy!" Daisuke yelled, before whacking Ichigo with his stick again.

"Oww! This is going to be a long four days…" Ichigo sighed.

Hisana couldn't help but chuckle over the exchange she heard.

* * *

Grimmjow was bored. He had spent the last few hours lying around his room, patiently waiting for Ggio to finish translating Nelliel's book that Ulquiorra gave him.

"Are you done yet?" Grimmjow asked.

It should be noted that when Grimmjow is 'waiting patiently' it's really just him asking 'Are you done yet?' every five minutes and not smashing something out of anger when the answer isn't favourable.

"No, and would you stop asking that. This text is older than that Head Captain Lord Aizen keeps talking about. In other words, this shit is hard to interpret into a language you can actually understand. Especially since this was written in what is now considered a 'Dead Language'." Ggio explained; a mass of papers strewn all over the desk and the floor around him.

"A 'Dead Language'? Tch, in case you aren't aware, we're Hollows. That means we're already dead, so surely it can't be _that_ hard to read." Grimmjow said, rolling his eyes.

"No, you smartass, I meant the language itself is dead. As in no-one speaks it anymore. Kinda like Aramaic or Mesopotamian." Ggio said, shaking his head.

"What do spiders and soup have to do with anything?" Grimmjow asked, causing Ggio to growl in irritation.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and, much to Ggio's relief, Ulquiorra walked in.

"Grimmjow… Ggio… How goes the translating?" He asked, looking at the mess of paper over by Ggio, ultimately getting his answer.

"You!" Grimmjow yelled, pointing at the pale Espada. "This is all your fault! Why the fuck did you give me a book that I couldn't even read?!"

"Settle down, Grimmjow. Once you translate the book, you'll realise one of the points in the book was that you can't do everything by yourself; sometimes you need support from others." Ulquiorra said simply.

"Tch, whatever… Are you done yet, Vega?" Grimmjow asked again.

"No, dammit! Ugh… Master Ulquiorra, would you please take Grimmjow somewhere else while I finish translating this book for him?" Ggio asked desperately.

Ulquiorra simply looked at Grimmjow and cocked his head towards the door, causing Grimmjow to mutter several expletives before leaving, not before turning around to threaten Ggio once more.

"That fucking thing better be finished before I get back!" He growled.

"Really? What happens if it's not? Will you kill me? Then what? I'm the only one who can translate this for you, besides Master Ulquiorra, and I know he won't be doing it for you. I suppose you could take it to Master Szayelaporro, but he won't do it out of the goodness of his non-existent heart. I'm certain you don't want to take part in any 'experiments' he's performing, do you?" Ggio asked, smirking when Grimmjow paled slightly.

Szayelaporro Granz wasn't known for being 'gentle' when he was undergoing his 'research' and 'experiments'. In fact, everyone in Las Noches was certain he didn't even know the meaning of 'Hippocratic Oath'.

Grimmjow merely stuck his middle finger up at Ggio and walked off with Ulquiorra, causing Ggio to grin and return to his work.

"Hmm, that's not right… I don't think Master Sun Tzu would have any use for a pineapple in war… Or would he? No, no he wouldn't. As that says 'defeat', not 'pineapple'. This might take some time…"

* * *

"So, what do you want, Ulquiorra?" Grimmjow asked as he sauntered along the halls of Las Noches, hands in his pockets, next to Ulquiorra.

Well, there was something I wished to discuss with you. I have received word from Lord Aizen." Ulquiorra began as the two Arrancar turned a corner and saw someone they both detested.

"Nnoitra…" Grimmjow growled, causing Ulquiorra to put a hand on Grimmjow's shoulder and shake his head.

The individual in question turned around, and when he saw who was present, his wide smile got even wider… And creepier.

"Grimmjow. What's a bitch like you doing with Ulquiorra?" Nnoitra asked.

"Fuck off, Nnoitra. I don't have to answer to you." Grimmjow spat.

"Oh, I think you do. See, in case you forgot, or were just too stupid to begin with, I am an Espada. You are not. Like it or not, you _do_ answer to me. In fact, if I told you to get on your knees and suck my dick, you would do just that." Nnoitra remarked, glaring at Grimmjow.

"I'm confused. Why would you want a male to place your reproductive organ in their oral cavity in order to give you pleasure? Isn't that, what do the humans call it, 'gay'?" Ulquiorra asked.

Nnoitra directed his glare at Ulquiorra, who simply regarded the tall Espada before him with an empty stare, waiting for Nnoitra to respond. Grimmjow, however, simply burst out laughing.

"He's got you there, Nnoitra. I didn't think guys were your thing. Perhaps that ponce Szayelaporro can 'give you a hand' with whatever you need. He seems like your type. Then there's Luppi. He's an effeminate little bitch." Grimmjow continued to laugh, causing Nnoitra to growl and unsheathe his weapon.

"Why you fucking…!" Nnoitra roared, striking his weapon at Grimmjow in an attempt to cut him in half, but was stopped by Ulquiorra's bare hand.

"Nnoitra… You have already been warned about your temper by Baraggan. If this carries on, I'll be forced to eliminate you. You are already on thin ice with Lord Aizen for killing Nelliel. If you were to kill another Espada, Lord Aizen would certainly have you executed." Ulquiorra said calmly, pushing Nnoitra's blade back with ease.

"What are you talking about, you bastard? We're the only Espada here, and you were the one who decided to get involved." Nnoitra growled, glaring at Grimmjow, who glared back.

"Wrong." Ulquiorra began, before raising a hand and pointed to Grimmjow. "I have received word from Lord Aizen that he is our new Sexta Espada. So you see, Nnoitra, we are all Espadas here, and killing one of us will surely result in your death as well."

Nnoitra looked at Ulquiorra as if he had just sprouted three heads. He knew Ulquiorra wasn't the one for jokes, but there's no way a weak Arrancar like Grimmjow could become an Espada, especially not one number below him… Right?

"You cannot be serious…" Nnoitra hissed.

"I am very serious. Now, I will ask that you step aside and let us through. Failure to do so will result in severe punishment." Ulquiorra said with a dangerous edge to his words.

Nnoitra simply spat at Grimmjow's feet before sheathing his blade and storming off, grumbling obscenities about Ulquiorra and Grimmjow before he vanished in a buzz of Sonido.

"Now, where were we? Ah, yes… Lord Aizen has decided for your hard work and loyalty that you are to be rewarded by becoming his new Sexta Espada." Ulquiorra explained, carrying on his conversation before being interrupted by Nnoitra.

"Tch, it's about time. I was wondering when I was finally going to get what I deserved." Grimmjow said with an arrogant smirk.

"Hmm? What makes you think you deserved this reward?" Ulquiorra asked, raising and eyebrow.

"Gin was the one who told me that my mission to fight Aizen's Lieutenant was incredibly important. I simply asked if it was worth me becoming an Espada. Looks like it was." Grimmjow said with a shrug.

"Very well, but since we are both Espadas now, let me give you some advice; don't always listen to what Gin has to say. He loves to play jokes and cause chaos when Lord Aizen isn't around. The only one you should listen to, besides Lord Aizen himself, is Director General Tōsen." Ulquiorra said.

"Hmph… Gin's smart enough to know not to fuck with me…" Grimmjow remarked, punching a fist into his other hand and cracking his knuckles. "Nnoitra though… Just wait until I get my hands on him…"

"Yes, but before then, you're going to need to read Nelliel's book. The knowledge in there will allow you to become far stronger than he ever will be." Ulquiorra said.

"I don't know why you couldn't just translate it for me. It's obvious you understood it perfectly." Grimmjow scowled.

"That's because there are no shortcuts to success. If you want something, you need to find another way, usually one that you would least expect." Ulquiorra replied sagely as they continued their stroll through Las Noches.

"Is that from the book?" Grimmjow asked, looking at Ulquiorra.

"More or less. You'll learn much more when you read the book itself." Ulquiorra shrugged.

"Yeah, if only Vega would hurry the fuck up and translate it." Grimmjow grumbled.

Ulquiorra merely shook his head as they walked down the halls of Aizen's palace.

* * *

 _ **WARNING; Scene may be considered disturbing by some readers. Viewer/Reader discretion is advised. You have been warned…**_

Nnoitra reached the other side of Las Noches after using Sonido to leave Grimmjow and Ulquiorra in the corridor a few minutes ago. He was still in a very foul mood, but once he realised where he was, a grin formed on his face that would've made Gin himself jealous.

He had found his way over to one of the old Espada Palaces. The one he was in just so happened to be home to a certain Gothic Ex-Espada…

Nnoitra stormed down the hall until he reached a pair of large white door, which he proceeded to kick open, startling the occupant of the palace, who was sat in front of a large mirror, styling her hair.

"Nnoitra? Ugh, what the fuck do you want?" Cirucci Sanderwicci snapped, glaring at the tall Arrancar with disgust.

"Did you hear, woman? Grimmjow is the new Sexta. How does it feel to know weaklings are being promoted to the Espada over you?" Nnoitra sneered, crouching down and getting close enough to Cirucci that she could feel his repulsive breath on her neck.

"I couldn't care less. If Lord Aizen wants Arrancar that are jacked up from that fucking Hōgyoku over us naturally formed Arrancar, then that's his choice." Cirucci scoffed, ignoring Nnoitra.

"Hmm, yes… Your 'natural form' is very pleasing to me…" Nnoitra whispered, licking his lips as he examined the female Arrancar before him.

"Ok, first off, eww! Second; you're a creep, who clearly doesn't know what 'Personal Space' is, and third, eww!" Cirucci said, pushing Nnoitra away from her in disgust, only to have the Espada grab her hands and slap her across the face… Hard.

"Pets are not supposed to speak, nor refuse their masters!" Nnoitra seethed, grabbing Cirucci by the throat.

"Ugk! What're… What are you… Doing?! Put me… Put me down!" Cirucci choked out. She was now starting to panic.

"Cry and scream all you want. No-one is going to hear you…" Nnoitra whispered venomously, slowly licking Cirucci's cheek as a lone tear managed to escape her eye. "Yes, good… Cry, bitch. You are right to fear me."

Nnoitra threw her against a wall and as she slid down to the ground, Nnoitra stalked over to her, grabbing her dress from the back and tearing it off her.

"No! Stop! Please, just leave me alone!" Cirucci wailed, tears now flowing heavily from her eyes, staining her make-up. Nnoitra simply began to laugh evilly as he looked down at the terrified Arrancar as he began to remove his own clothing.

The only thing that could be heard from Cirucci's palace were the sounds of her terrified and pained screams as Nnoitra forced himself on her. Unfortunately for her, Nnoitra was right; not a single Arrancar in all of Las Noches heard her screaming for help…

 _ **END OF DISTURBING SCENE**_

* * *

"I don't know, are you sure about this?" Ichigo asked, looking over at Hisana.

"Of course, Ichigo. You will be fine. Sir Ginrei has already produced a speech for you to address the guests and Master Daisuke says your etiquette and dancing ability has increased greatly under his tutelage." Hisana replied with a smile.

Ichigo had spent the last four days under the watchful eye of Daisuke Yamato, who made sure he carried himself like a true noble would. He was taught how to greet other nobles, how to address various nobles from the same family and how to walk like a noble. Daisuke also made sure he knew how to dance properly and most importantly, how to talk like a noble.

After four rigorous days of training, Daisuke had deemed him ready for the Kuchiki Clan's Summer Equinox Party and he and Hisana were given luxurious clothes and once they were ready, were gathered in the main house, away from the other guests, who were currently congregating in the Kuchiki Manor Gardens.

"I hope so. Last thing I want is to mess this up and let everyone down; especially Sir Ginrei. He has put a lot of trust in me to take Byakuya's place for this evening." Ichigo said, looking flustered.

"As I said, you'll be fine. If Master Daisuke says you're ready, then you could very well walk into a party hosted by the Shihōin's and steal the spotlight; that's how exceptional of a tutor he is." Hisana said, grabbing Ichigo by the shoulders to cease his fidgeting.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, after I get through this, I still have to keep my promise to you." Ichigo said, causing Hisana to look nervous.

After Ichigo's first day of 'Noble School', he met with Hisana once more to talk about his friends at the Soul Reaper Academy, and of Rukia. He promised Hisana that the day after the party had finished, that he'd take her to the Academy to see Rukia for the first time in many, many years.

"Introducing, from the Shihōin Clan; Master Yūshirō Shihōin and his mother, Lady Yukiko Shihōin!" The Kuchiki Herald announced, resulting in a round of applause for the Head of the Shihōin Clan and his mother.

"Oh, looks like the members from the other three Great Noble Houses are now arriving." Hisana said with some excitement.

"Right, but how am I going to know who's who? The only two I'll know are Kaien and Miyako, and that's only because they're family." Ichigo said, sounding worried.

"It's alright, Ichigo. As you are going to be the host of this event, people will flock to you, in hopes of winning your favour. That's one thing I do so detest about these events…" Hisana said with a frown.

"Introducing, from the Kasumiōji Clan; Lady Rurichiyo Kasumiōji and the Kasumiōji Clan Viceroy, Gyōkaku Kumoi!" The Herald announced the arrival of the second Noble House.

"Hmm, odd. I thought Sir Kaien and Lady Miyako were to be next?" Hisana said, looking rather concerned.

"What's wrong with that? It's just the order of names, right?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, but the Four Great Noble Families have a certain order in which they arrive at these events; the Kuchiki's are first, followed by the Shihōin's, then the Shiba's and, finally, the Kasumiōji. It's not good form to break this order. I wonder what happened…" Hisana said, as she began to pace nervously.

"Hmm… I can feel Kaien and Miyako's spiritual pressure. It's faint, but I can still feel it. Would you like me to go and see what's happened? I'll be there and back in a flash… Uhh, no pun intended." Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly when he realised what he said.

"It would put my mind at ease, knowing they have simply run into a bit of a complication with transport, and not something more… Sinister." Hisana said, whispering the last word. "Wait! Before you go, put this robe on. It customary for Nobles to not be seen with their garments until they arrive to greet their guests."

Oh, right… Ok then. I'll be back shortly." Ichigo nodded before putting the black cloak on over his clothes, ultimately hiding them, pulling the hood up and then vanished in a blur of Flash Step.

* * *

Ichigo quickly crossed the Seireitei, in an attempt to locate Kaien and Miyako. He was able to lock on to their spiritual pressure easily enough, but they were further away than he had anticipated. After a few more minutes of travel, Ichigo had arrived at his destination; the Squad Four Medical Centre.

"Well, this can't be good…" Ichigo muttered as he opened the door and went inside.

Inside the building was relatively quiet, so Ichigo was able to walk the halls without getting in the way of nurses or various other medical personnel who worked under Captain Unohana in Squad Four.

Turning a corner, he quickly found the room in which Kaien and Miyako were occupying. Sliding the door open, he slipped inside, trying his best not to disturb any patients who might be in the room with them.

"Isane, what's wrong with him?" Miyako asked as she looked over to the tall Lieutenant.

"I'm afraid it's his illness. It's getting worse." Isane said, looking at the patient in the bed.

"It's really not. I'm fine, see?" The person in question attempted to sit up and get out of bed, only to be brought down by a heavy fit of coughing.

"Come now, Jūshirō. You're too sick. Let Isane take care of you." Shunsui spoke, placing a hand on his best friend's shoulder as he gently pushed him back down to a lying position.

"Am… Am I dying, Shunsui?" Jūshirō asked.

"Nah, you're not dying. Why would you think that?" Shunsui asked with a lazy grin.

"It's just… I do believe the Grim Reaper is standing behind Lieutenant Kotetsu…" Jūshirō said weakly, pointing at a hooded black figure behind Isane.

Everyone turned to look at what Jūshirō was pointing at, only to see that there was indeed a hooded figure wearing all black standing behind Isane. When Isane turned around and saw the figure, she screamed and leapt into the air, only to be caught by said figure.

"Aaahhh! Please don't harvest my soul! I need it!" Isane cried, shutting her eyes and shaking her head side to side rapidly.

"Harvest your…? Isane, it's me!" The figure spoke and everyone recognised the voice.

"Is that you, Ichigo?" Kaien asked, raising an eyebrow.

Isane opened one eye and saw that she was still alive and still being held by the figure. Slowly, she lifted back the hood to see it was indeed Ichigo.

"Wha-? Ichigo! What are you doing?! Is this meant to be a joke?!" She shouted, going red from embarrassment from being so easily scared.

"No! C'mon, you guys! If this was a joke, I'd've brought a scythe… And probably asked Nemu for some science-y crap to make me look like a skeleton. I have to wear this thing. Apparently it's customary at Noble parties." Ichigo said, putting Isane down and ran his hands over the cloak.

"Ah, he's right. We're not allowed to see the host's outfit until they arrive to greet everyone." Kaien said, nodding his head un understanding.

"So, what's happened here? Is everything alright with Captain Ukitake?" Ichigo asked, looking at the bed-ridden Captain.

"Yes, I am fine. I just…" Jūshirō began, trying to sit up again, only to be brought back down by another coughing fit.

"Captain, please, you have far too much fluid in your lungs to be able to get up and move about. I would like you to remain here until you have recovered enough to return to your Squad." A soft voice said from the doorway, causing everyone to turn around and see Captain Unohana standing there.

The Captain, however, wasn't wearing her Shihakushō or Captain's Coat. Instead, she was wearing a dark purple kimono which was adorned with pink, white and light blue flowers. She had a light pink obi on which was tied up by a purple obijime that had an obidome attached to it, which was in the design of a red flower. Her hair was tied up into a large bun that was held together with two silver needles.

"My, my… Don't you look incredible, Captain." Shunsui said, tipping his hat towards Unohana.

"Thank you, Shunsui, you're too kind." Unohana said with a smile, returning the bow.

"I'm sorry…" Jūshirō whispered, getting everyone's attention. "I'm sorry I won't be able to accompany you all to the party…"

"Hey, don't worry about it, Jūshirō. There'll be plenty more." Shunsui said with a smile, taking his friend's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"So, Captain, I take it that you're going to be attending the party after all?" Ichigo asked, as Unohana walked over to the bed and checked the patient chart.

"Of course. You must give Lady Hisana my apologies for not responding to her invite though. We've been rather busy at Squad Four as of late." Unohana said as she put the patient chart down again.

"I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have you attend, Captain. Same goes for you, Captain Kyōraku. As for Captain Ukitake, well, I'm sure Lady Hisana will understand that you cannot attend and will wish you a speedy recovery; as do I." Ichigo said, bowing to the white haired Captain.

"Th-thank you, Ichigo. I wish I c-could attend, but this damnable i-illness…" Jūshirō rasped, taking a deep breath when he finished speaking.

"Wow, Ichigo, when did you become so… Formal?" Kaien asked with a smirk as he looked at his cousin.

"Ah, yes… Sir Ginrei had his top attendant teach me how to act like a noble. He seems to think I've gotten the hang of it." Ichigo explained.

"Oh, you were taught by Old Man Daisuke? He's a hard taskmaster, isn't he?" Shunsui said with a chuckle.

"Indeed he is. I think I lost several IQ points from his 'punishments'." Ichigo said, rubbing the top of his head, causing everyone to laugh.

"I-Ichigo… You s-should really return t-to the party. Y-You wouldn't want to l-let Sir Ginrei down, w-would you?" Jūshirō chuckled, causing yet another coughing fit.

"Captain Ukitake is right; we're all very late. The guests are probably wondering where we all are, and no doubt Lady Hisana is in a panic." Miyako said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

The group all said their goodbye's to Captain Ukitake, who decided to get some rest, and then they all left for the party.

* * *

Ichigo returned to the main house of the Kuchiki Manor and found Hisana rapidly pacing back and forth. Once she noticed he was here, she breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to him.

"Ichigo! You're back! Is everything alright? What happened to Sir Kaien and Lady Miyako?" She asked, looking up at the Shiba as he was removing the cloak she had given him.

"I'm afraid Captain Ukitake's illness has hospitalised him. He's unable to attend the party; Kaien and Miyako were with him when I arrived at Squad Four." Ichigo explained. "On the upside, Captain Kyōraku and Captain Unohana will be attending."

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so pleased Captain Unohana could make it!" Hisana said with a bright smile. "It's such a shame Captain Ukitake won't be present. Please, next time you see him, give him my regards and hopes that he makes a speedy recovery."

"I already did, and he was most grateful." Ichigo said with a smile.

"Really? Hmm, Master Daisuke has certainly whipped you into shape, hasn't he?" Hisana said.

"Yeah, I have to admit, even though I've probably lost several IQ points and might possibly have brain damage, Master Daisuke sure knew what he was doing." Ichigo remarked, subconsciously rubbing his head.

"Introducing, from the Shiba Clan; Sir Kaien Shiba and Lady Miyako Shiba, both who are being accompanied by Captain Retsu Unohana of Squad Four and Captain Shunsui Kyōraku of Squad Eight!" The Herald announced; the announcement sounding like music to Hisana's ears.

"Ohh, good! They've arrived! Are you ready to take to the stage, Master Shiba?" Hisana said, holding her arm out.

"Absolutely, Lady Kuchiki." Ichigo said with a smile as he linked his arm with Hisana's and stood at the ready.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Now that all the guests have finally arrived, it is time to welcome our hosts for the evening!" The Herald declared. "Introducing, from the Kuchiki Clan; Lady Hisana Kuchiki and, filling in for Lord Byakuya Kuchiki, who is currently away on business; Master Ichigo Shiba from the Shiba Clan!"

The guests began to applaud as the doors to the main house opened out into the garden, and Ichigo and Hisana walked outside, allowing everyone to get a good look at their outfits for the evening.

Ichigo was wearing a long, white haori and a white haori-himo, with the Kuchiki Clan's Coat of Arms on the back, which was given to him by Sir Ginrei. He was also wearing a black kimono, and a silk hakama that was coloured black and navy blue completed the outfit.

Hisana was wearing a dark blue kimono that was decorated with white and purple flowers. Her obi was white and tied up by a dark blue obijime. In her hair was a bright orange flower, which sat on the right side of her head.

The guests all stared in awe at their hosts, applauding even more upon the sight of them. As Ichigo and Hisana walked out into the middle of the garden, to address the guests, the applause slowly began to die out until all was silent. Once all attention was on him, Ichigo began his speech that Sir Ginrei had prepared for him.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of the Kuchiki Family, I would like to thank you all for attending this evening's celebration. I am Ichigo Shiba, and I will be your host for tonight, as Lord Byakuya is currently away on affairs of state, but he sends his deepest apologies and hopes you all have a wonderful time. As you know, the Summer Equinox only comes once a year, and this year, the Kuchiki Clan have the distinct honour of hosting the party to celebrate such an event. I would also like to thank Master Yūshirō Shihōin, Sir Kaien Shiba and Lady Rurichiyo Kasumiōji for being able to attend, as well as a few Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. In regards to that, I regret to inform you all that Captain Jūshirō Ukitake was unable to attend this evening's event. I'm afraid that his illness managed to get the better of him, and he was rushed to Squad Four shortly before everyone arrived. I would ask you give him your support and keep your thoughts with him while he recovers. Once again, on behalf of the Kuchiki Family; thank you all for coming and I hope everyone has a wonderful night!"

Another round of applause came from the crowd. Over towards the back of the crowd, Ichigo could see Kaien, Miyako, Shunsui, Retsu and Ginrei all standing together. All were applauding and Ginrei gave Ichigo a nod, to signify he was more than impressed with Ichigo's speech.

"That was really good. You sounded like a natural. It would appear that you didn't even need Sir Ginrei's speech; you did so well!" Hisana whispered and smiled up at him.

"Thanks… So, now what? Do we just sit back and hope it's all plain sailing from here?" Ichigo replied.

"I'm afraid not. As you are the host, you are going to be the one people wish to talk to. A lot of people use events like this to curry favour with the Nobles." Hisana said.

"Oh yeah, that's right… So, people are going to doing a load of ass-kissing? That's great…!" Ichigo whispered sarcastically.

"Yes, Lord Byakuya and Sir Kaien detest it as well, but there are many things nobles must do which they don't like. I guess it just comes with the territory." Hisana chuckled, as she saw the first of many guests arrive to talk with them.

"Hello, Master Shiba! It's a pleasure to meet you; I'm Yūshirō Shihōin, and thank you for inviting mother and I to this party!" The young Shihōin Clan Head bowed deeply, then looked up at Ichigo.

' _Wow, he looks just like Yoruichi…'_ Ichigo thought to himself, as he bowed to the boy.

Yūshirō Shihōin was a young boy with dark skin and bright, golden eyes. His hair was really thick and tied up in a small ponytail. The only difference between Yūshirō's and Yoruichi's hair was the length and colour; Yoruichi's hair was purple, while Yūshirō's was black.

"No, thank _you_ for being able to attend, Master Yūshirō; you and Lady Yukiko." Ichigo responded, turning to the Clan Head's mother and bowing, before taking the time to properly look at her.

' _Ok, I was wrong…_ She _looks exactly like Yoruichi!'_ Ichigo thought as he looked at Yukiko.

If Yoruichi was still in the Soul Society, it would have been her who would have attended this party with Lady Yukiko, and people would have a hard time trying to figure out who was Yoruichi and who was Yukiko, and even if they got lucky and were correct, they'd never know they were actually mother and daughter, not twin sisters.

Yukiko Shihōin was a tall, slender woman with dark skin, golden eyes and long purple hair that was tied into a tight bun. She had a sky blue flower in her hair and a pair of diamond earrings hung from her ears. Yukiko was wearing a dark blue kimono, which clung to her body, showing off her amazing figure and her breasts, which were larger than Yoruichi's, but were proportionately perfect, in regards to her body.

"Good evening, Lady Yukiko. Thank you for coming." Ichigo said simply.

"It was my pleasure, _Lord_ Shiba." Yukiko responded, taking Ichigo's hand with both of her soft, perfectly manicured hands and lightly stroked it, smiling at Ichigo as she did so.

The emphasis on the title of 'Lord' didn't go unnoticed to Ichigo either. Yoruichi, while much less subtle than her mother, was exactly like Yukiko. Yukiko was _flirting_ with Ichigo.

"Hmm, I think someone has taken a keen interest in you, 'Lord' Shiba." Hisana whispered, teasing Ichigo as Yukiko turned her attention to her son for just a moment.

"Hey, Yūshii!" A child-like voice called out, resulting in everyone turning to see who had spoken.

"Please, Lady Rurichiyo, we're in front of our honourable hosts, please act as a noble should." Gyōkaku Kumoi said kindly, but Ichigo picked up on the lightest touch of venom in his tone.

"Oh shush, Kumoi! Yūshii is my friend and it's nice to see him!" Lady Rurichiyo Kasumiōji ran over to Yūshirō and hugged him, and Yūshirō happily returned the hug.

"Hiya, Chi-Chiyo! It's so nice to see you!" Yūshirō beamed at the sight of his young friend.

Lady Rurichiyo Kasumiōji was just a young girl when her parents died, leaving her to inherit the title of Kasumiōji Clan Leader. But since she was still just a child most, if not all the affairs of the Clan were under the control of Gyōkaku Kumoi, who had been the Clan's Viceroy for decades.

Rurichiyo herself, was a small girl with long blonde hair and bright green eyes; her physical looks seemed to compliment those of Yūshirō, and their personalities were a lot alike. Both of them were young, energetic and incredibly adventurous.

"As for you! You are Master Ichigo Shiba, yes? Well, I am Lady Rurichiyo Kasumiōji; Head of the Kasumiōji Clan, it's a pleasure to meet you." Rurichiyo bowed to Ichigo, who bowed in return.

"A pleasure to meet you too, my lady. You as well, Master Kumoi." Ichigo regarded the old Viceroy with a bow, but kept his eyes on him at all times. "Are your friends going to introduce themselves, or do I have to go to them?" He asked Rurichiyo.

"Huh? I don't know what you are talking about." Rurichiyo stated, turning her nose up at Ichigo, causing Hisana to chuckle at the young Clan Head's reaction.

"I'm referring to the two bodyguards you've brought along. The big guy with the shades and bald head, and the other guy who keeps looking around and narrowing his eyes when he sees someone approach you." Ichigo stated, causing Rurichiyo to look at him, mouth agape.

"How did you…?" She began, only to have Ichigo hold up a hand to explain.

"I'm not only a part of the Shiba Clan, my lady; I am also the Lieutenant of Squad Five. I'm trained to detect anomalies in crowds and, well… Your guys stick out like a sore thumb. However, do not fret; it is fine by us for you to bring bodyguards; Master Yūshirō and Lady Yukiko are being watched by Captain Soifon." Ichigo stated.

"Huh? Mother, is this true? Captain Soifon is watching over us right now?" Yūshirō asked, tugging his mother's sleeve.

"Of course, my darling. Captain Soifon has always served the Shihōin Family with honour, even when your sister was the Head of the Family." Yukiko said, placing a hand on her son's head.

"But… Where is she? I can't see her?" Yūshirō asked, looking around to try and spot the Squad Two Captain.

"Oh, that's easy. She's up in that tree." Ichigo pointed out, directing everyone's attention to a large tree in the corner of the garden.

"KUROSAKI!" Soifon yelled from her hiding spot.

"Yeah, she doesn't like it when I give her away. MAYBE IF SHE DIDN'T MAKE IT SO OBVIOUS, IT WOULDN'T BE SO EASY!" Ichigo replied, raising his voice so Soifon could hear him.

Soifon leapt down from the tree and disappeared with Flash Step, searching for another hiding place to watch over the Shihōin Clan members.

"Oh, my! Marvellous! Simply marvellous, Lord Shiba! Perhaps you should be the Lieutenant of Squad Two, instead of that bumbling oaf Ōmaeda!" Yukiko said with a laugh.

"Did I hear someone mention my name?" A deep voice spoke, making Ichigo look behind Yukiko to see a large man lumber towards her.

"Oh… Master Marenoshin. A pleasure…" Yukiko said, her voice becoming flat and disinterested.

"So, this is the kid who's filling in for stuffy old Byakuya, huh? You don't look like much, do you?" Marenoshin remarked, looking at Ichigo with disappointment.

"Well, looks can be deceiving, _sir_. I thought your son to be nothing more than a greedy, bumbling imbecile with the IQ of a spoon, yet he's the Lieutenant of Squad Two." Ichigo replied, narrowing his eyes at the Head of the Ōmaeda Clan.

"Ichigo!" Hisana whispered, looking rather shocked and worried.

"Oh, my… This one's full of fire! I like that in a man!" Yukiko laughed, looking at Ichigo and winking at him.

"Yeah, you got that right! Marechiyo is a bit of a fool, but at least he's been blessed with my good looks! You're alright, kid!" Marenoshin commented, giving a hearty laugh and smacking Ichigo on the back.

"Hey, Chi-Chiyo, this is kinda boring, huh? Wanna go play a game?" Yūshirō said, his eyes full of mischief.

"Okay! What did you have in mind, Yūshii?" Rurichiyo asked, her face brightening up at the thought of being able to have fun with her friend.

"Follow me, let's see if we can convince Old Man Daisuke that the kitchen is haunted, then we can get free snacks!" Yūshirō beamed as he ran off with Rurichiyo.

"Hmm, I might go and greet Sir Ginrei. It's been too long since we last spoke." Kumoi said, more to himself than anyone else, before shuffling from the group and towards Sir Ginrei, who was in the company of his fellow Captains.

As Kumoi left the group, Ichigo couldn't help but notice the bodyguard who was watching everyone who approached Rurichiyo with narrowed eyes did the exact same thing to Kumoi.

' _It would appear Pretty Boy doesn't trust the old man… Can't say I blame him. Something's off about that guy…'_ Ichigo thought to himself.

"If you'll excuse me, I must go and greet Sir Kaien and Lady Miyako. I haven't seen them in a very long time. Lady Kuchiki. Lord Shiba." Yukiko said before bowing to Hisana.

When she bowed to Ichigo, she leaned in and whispered into his ear. "Come find me later… There's something I wish to discuss with you." She looked at Ichigo one more time; a seductive smile playing on her lips as she gave him another wink, before walking off, deliberately swinging her hips in an attempt to show off her perfectly toned behind.

"Well, well… Someone certainly made a good first impression, didn't they?" Hisana said with a teasing smirk.

Ichigo, however, wasn't paying attention. Something else had captured his thoughts.

"Ichigo?" Hisana said, waving her hand in front of Ichigo's face, causing him to shake his head and come back to reality.

"Huh? What is it?" Ichigo asked, looking at Hisana.

"Ichigo, were you staring at Lady Yukiko's behind?" Hisana gasped.

"What? No! I was looking at Kumoi… Something doesn't seem right with him." Ichigo said, looking over at Kumoi, who was talking to Ginrei and Shunsui.

"It's probably nothing; Master Kumoi has been the Kasumiōji Clan Viceroy for decades. He's just become stuck in the old ways of Nobility." Hisana commented.

"No, I don't think so… Look at Pretty Boy over there; he's been watching Kumoi like a hawk since he arrived. Something is definitely off about him. If their protection detail is suspicious of him, then something is definitely up." Ichigo said, watching one of Rurichiyo's bodyguards do a lap of the garden, never taking his eyes of Kumoi.

"Don't worry about it, Ichigo. Kumoi is just one of your many guests. Take some time to travel around and greet a few more. Just be prepared for any boot-licking that can and will occur." Hisana said as she pulled Ichigo away, not allowing him to protest.

* * *

"Oooooh, niiiiiiñaaaaaa! I have wonderful news to share!" Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio twirled his way into Cirucci's palace, but managed to trip and fall on his face at the entrance. "Niña? Where are you? You normally come to scold me for interrupting your putting on of the make-up."

Dordoni got up and looked around, but saw no sign of the Gothic Arrancar. Shrugging, he turned and was about to leave when he heard a curious sound.

"Niña? Is that you I hear?" Dordoni made his way over to where the sound was coming from. As he got closer, he recognised the sound for what it was; crying.

Gently, Dordoni pushed the door open and entered the room, which turned out to be Cirucci's bedroom. Looking around, he couldn't see anyone, but the sound of crying was unmistakable. He knew it was coming from somewhere in this room. He took a few more steps inside and looked again. That's when he saw it; over in the corner of the room, Cirucci was curled up into a ball, quietly sobbing.

"Niña! What is wrong? Why are you making the tears of sadness?" Dordoni asked as he walked up to her.

To his surprise, Cirucci looked up at him and instead of standing up to rip him a new asshole for entering her palace uninvited, she instead looked at him in terror and huddled up into a tighter ball, trying to hide in the corner.

"Go away! He sent you, didn't he?! Just leave me alone!" She yelled, sobbing even harder.

"Niña, what is this? I have never seen you like this? Who is 'he'?" Dordoni asked, taking another step towards her, greatly concerned for his comrade.

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Cirucci screamed as loud as she could, making Dordoni jump back in shock. He had heard Cirucci scream before, but it was always in anger. This time, however, was different. What shocked Dordoni wasn't the fact she screamed at him, it was the fact her scream wasn't full of anger; it was full of terror.

"Lo siento, niña…" Dordoni whispered his apology as Cirucci continued to sob. After that, he simply left her to be by herself.

Cirucci was an Arrancar, and just like all other Arrancar, she had the Instant Regeneration Ability. When Dordoni saw her, any physical wounds she had sustained were long gone. _Physical wounds._ The Instant Regeneration Ability could do nothing the heal any emotional or psychological trauma one might suffer, and it was _those_ kinds of wounds that would leave the most horrible scarring.

* * *

"Ah, Ichigo. How are you holding up?" Ginrei asked as Ichigo and Hisana approached him.

"Well, I never knew Nobles were so intent on trying to form alliances with each other through their kids. Did you know I received seven marriage proposals tonight? Seven!" Ichigo sighed as he collapsed into a chair at the table Ginrei was sat at.

"Really? Someone is rather popular with the ladies, huh? I'm starting to feel a little jealous." Shunsui commented with a smirk. "I've been here for a couple hours myself and I've not had a single one."

"Oh, Grandfather, perhaps you could tell Ichigo about Lady Yukiko. She seems to have taken an interest in 'Lord Shiba' here." Hisana said, causing both Ginrei and Shunsui to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Is that right? Well then… You've certainly got your work cut out for you, my boy. Lady Yukiko is the kind of woman who always gets what she wants." Ginrei commented.

"Mhmm, she's a lot like her daughter… Though, far more subtle." Shunsui said with a chuckle.

"Her daughter, Captain?" Ichigo asked, even though he knew who Shunsui meant.

"Ah, that's right… Well, we're really not supposed to talk about it, but Yūshirō is the youngest of two children in the Shihōin Clan. Lady Yukiko had an older daughter named Yoruichi. She was the Captain of Squad Two, once upon a time." Shunsui explained.

"Really? What happened to her? Did she die?" Ichigo asked, although he already knew the answer.

"To some, she might as well have. Truth of the matter is, she abandoned her post as Captain to help an old friend of hers escape execution for some heinous crimes he committed a long time ago." Shunsui began, waving a hand to summon an attendant to pour him a cup of sake.

"That doesn't sound like something a Captain would do…" Ichigo said, as Shunsui downed the cup and asked for another.

"Well, murdering eight people and trying to make them into Hollows isn't something a Captain would do either, yet it happened." Shunsui remarked bitterly. "Just leave the bottle here." Shunsui told the attendant, who placed the sake on the table and bowed before leaving.

"Shunsui, please! You know we shouldn't talk about what happened that night." Ginrei said, looking at the Squad Eight Captain, who looked a little drunk.

"Oh, why not? The boy's a Lieutenant, Ginrei. He's gonna have to know sooner or later, especially if he's going to become a Captain someday." Shunsui said, pouring another cup of sake and downing it.

"A Captain murdered eight people and turned them into Hollows? How is that possible?" Ichigo asked, feigning shock. Captain Aizen had already told him what happened all those years ago.

"No, he murdered hundreds upon thousands of souls. He was only able to turn eight of them into Hollows." Shunsui stated, causing Ginrei to look at his fellow Captain before shaking his head.

Shunsui was about to continue, but they were interrupted by the arrival of someone.

"Excuse me, Sir Ginrei, Master Ichigo; have you seen Lady Rurichiyo or Master Kumoi?" The man asked.

Ichigo turned to look at the man, and realised it was one of Rurichiyo's bodyguards. Ichigo had referred to him as 'Pretty Boy'.

"Last I saw, Lady Rurichiyo went off to play with Master Yūshirō. I haven't seen Master Kumoi since he went to talk with Sir Ginrei; both of which was a couple hours ago. I'm sorry, but who are you exactly?" Ichigo asked.

"My name is Ryūsei Kenzaki, but most people call me Kenryū." The man explained, bowing to the four people at the table.

"I see… Well, Kenryū, have you checked the kitchen for Lady Rurichiyo and Master Yūshirō? That's where they said they were going to go. As for Master Kumoi, well… I'm afraid I don't know. Sir Ginrei might know where he went." Ichigo said, causing Kenryū to look at the Kuchiki Elder.

"My apologies, Sir Kenryū. I'm afraid I haven't seen Master Kumoi since we last spoke. I don't know where he's gone." Ginrei said.

"I see… Well, I apologise for my intrusion." Kenryū said with a bow before he turned to leave.

Kenryū didn't even take two steps before he froze in his tracks. A scream of pure terror ripped through the Kuchiki Manor.

"That sounded like Lady Yukiko!" Hisana cried, and before she could say anything else, Ichigo, Ginrei and Shunsui all vanished with Flash Step to investigate what caused Yukiko to scream.

* * *

"Lady Yukiko?! Are you alright, my lady?" Ichigo called out as he saw the Shihōin Matriarch leaning against a wall, hyperventilating from shock. Ichigo also saw she had been crying.

"Lord Shiba! Thank goodness you're here! I… There is…!" Yukiko tried to explain what happened before crying into Ichigo's shoulder.

"Ichigo! What's happened?!" Shunsui asked, as he, Ginrei and Kaien all appeared by Flash Step.

"I don't know. Lady Yukiko is pretty shaken up. Lady Yukiko, can you tell me what happened?" Ichigo pulled Yukiko away from him and looked into her eyes, wiping away a tear that was running down her cheek.

Yukiko simply pointed to the room she had been found next to and Ichigo and Shunsui went to investigate. Ginrei went over to Yukiko to comfort her.

"Come with me, Lady Yukiko. We'll get you something to drink and sit you down in a quiet spot." Ginrei said gently as he began to escort her away, but was stopped when Soifon appeared in front of them.

"What happened to Lady Yukiko?!" She snapped.

"Watch your tone, Captain…" Ginrei remarked dangerously as he walked past the Squad Two Captain, glaring at her.

It was rare to see Ginrei angry, but when he was, everyone knew not to push him. Not a lot of things made the Kuchiki Elder angry, but blatant disrespect was one way to get on his bad side; one thing Soifon never seemed to learn.

"Kaien, go find Captain Unohana immediately… Go fetch Sir Kenryū as well. We've found Master Kumoi." Ichigo said as he left the room, followed by Shunsui.

"Looks like I'll have to go inform Old Man Yama… Good luck, Lieutenant. You're going to need it." Shunsui sighed as he tipped his hat to Ichigo and vanished in a blur of Flash Step.

Lady Yukiko had been looking for her son. All she knew was that he had run off to play with Rurichiyo Kasumiōji, so she didn't know where to look. She had decided to check the guest rooms, just in case the two kids had been hiding and eating any snacks they might have found.

Instead of finding her son and Rurichiyo, she found Gyōkaku Kumoi, or rather his body.

Gyōkaku Kumoi had been _murdered_.

That, however, wasn't the most troubling detail. The most troubling detail was something the killer had left behind; a message.

Written on the wall, in the victim's blood was a direct threat and a challenge.

" _This is simply the opening act. The game has just begun. I hope you'll stick around to witness more of the fun. Lady Yukiko is next, I won't keep her alive. Welcome and good luck, Lieutenant of Squad Five."_ Hisana read the message on the wall and gasped. "Ichigo…"

"What kind of sick fuck would do something like this?" Ichigo growled.

"Ichigo! I brought Captain Unohana!" Kaien called out as he, Unohana and Miyako had arrived.

"Ichigo, what's happened?" Unohana asked as she approached the Lieutenant, with Kaien and Miyako close behind her.

"I'm afraid we have a situation, Captain. There's been a murder." Ichigo said, causing Unohana's eyes to widen.

"Goodness… Say no more; I'll get to work immediately." Unohana said, as she walked past Ichigo, who grabbed her arm.

"I need you to keep this quiet. So far, only we know what's happened. No-one else must know. Especially what you see in there." Ichigo said quietly, not looking at Unohana.

"Ichigo, what's going on?" Unohana looked at the Lieutenant, but he refused to look at her.

"See for yourself…" Ichigo whispered, releasing Unohana and let her enter the room.

When she saw the body and the message, she also gasped, but proceeded to perform a preliminary exam on the body.

Kaien and Miyako decided to take a look at what was inside the room and what they say astounded them.

There was blood all over the floor and all over the walls. The body of Gyōkaku Kumoi was in the middle of the room; face down in a large pool of blood. A knife was planted in his back, sticking out like a calling card.

"My God… Who could do such a thing?" Kaien asked.

"I don't know, but why issue a challenge to Ichigo and tell him the next target?" Miyako asked.

"I have no idea, but all I know is that I must protect Lady Yukiko at all costs." Ichigo said as his family walked over to him.

"Hold it right there, Kurosaki!" Soifon yelled. "If you think I'm going to let some miscreant like you guard Lady Yukiko, you've got another thing coming!" She glared at Ichigo.

"Go take a look at the mess in there, Soifon! This prick has issued a direct challenge to me! This is _my_ responsibility!" Ichigo shouted, returning her glare.

"So what?! I am directly responsible for the safety of _all_ members of the Shihōin Clan! I am not about to let someone like you do my job for me!" Soifon growled.

"Yeah, bang up job you're doing! You lost track of Master Yūshirō and you were the last to arrive here when Lady Yukiko discovered the body. No wonder the Soul Society has been unable to find Yoruichi or her friends; you can't even do your fucking job!" Ichigo yelled.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Soifon roared, punching Ichigo in the face. "I AM THE CAPTAIN OF SQUAD TWO; THE COMMANDER OF THE STEALTH FORCE! YOU _WILL_ SHOW ME THE RESPECT I DESERVE!" She shouted and made to strike Ichigo again, but was stopped by Shunsui.

"Stand down, Captain Soifon." Shunsui said, holding onto the fist that was going to hit Ichigo.

"Kyōraku! Are you going to let this bastard disrespect a fellow Captain?!" Soifon snapped.

"No, but right now, you yourself are hardly upholding the expectations of a Captain." Shunsui shot back, fixing Soifon with an angry stare. "Ichigo, please remember Soifon is a Captain. Be more mindful of what you say next time."

"My apologies, Captain Kyōraku…" Ichigo said, bowing his head.

"That's alright… So, what have we got so far? Old Man Yama has been informed and wants to meet with you and the rest of the Captains. He shall be calling a meeting within the hour. Has Unohana found anything?" Shunsui asked as he stepped into the room.

"Well, he's been badly beaten. Severe trauma to many of his internal organs. Multiple stab wounds to the abdomen, probably from the knife in his back. But all of them were non-fatal. The killing blow was when the knife was dragged across his throat, severing the carotid artery. Death would have been rapid after that. It looks like the killer wanted to see him suffer before they finished him off." Unohana reported her findings to Shunsui.

"Hey, what's that in his pocket?" Kaien asked, pointing to a small patch of white that was coming from his pocket.

"It's a piece of paper with a note on it." Unohana remarked as she pulled it out of Kumoi's pocket and unfolded it. "It's written in blood as well… It says; _I know who protects Lady Yukiko and Master Yūshirō too, but for the sake of their lives, let me say to you; stay out of this, Captain of Squad Two._ "

"Well, whoever did this certainly likes their poetry. Maybe it was Zaraki's Fifth Seat? Perhaps he finally snapped and killed someone for calling him ugly…" Shunsui said with a smirk.

"Captain Kyōraku, I don't believe this is the time to be making jokes." Unohana replied, looking at him with a slightly annoyed look on her face.

"Of course, my apologies, Captain. I'm just not one for 'Doom and Gloom'." Shunsui said, bowing in apology.

"Well, Captain Soifon, it seems you've been given your marching orders. You are to stay away from this case." Unohana said, looking up at the Squad Two Captain.

"You cannot be serious?! You're really going to trust this brat with protecting the Head of a Noble Family? Absolutely not!" Soifon yelled defiantly, pointing to Ichigo.

"Captain Soifon, I think you should take my advice, otherwise things are going to become very, _very_ nasty." Unohana said, standing up to look Soifon in the eyes; there was no emotion on her face or in her words.

Everyone in the Seireitei knew how intimidating Captain Unohana could be. Even Kenpachi Zaraki knew when he should keep his mouth shut. Usually, when Captain Unohana would 'suggest' someone listen to her; she would always say it with a terrifying kindness and a smile on her face. When she had absolutely no emotion on display whatsoever, that's when everyone knew it would be extremely hazardous to their health to disobey her.

Soifon, despite her arrogance and angry attitude, was not an idiot. She knew she had crossed a line very few have ever done, so she knew it was in her best interest to simply shut up and agree.

"As you wish, Captain Unohana." She grumbled. "As for you, Kurosaki, if so much as a hair is out of place on the head of _any_ member of the Shihōin Family, I will personally execute you myself, got it?!"

"I'd like to see you try…" Ichigo growled, locking eyes with the petite Captain once again.

Soifon simply growled before taking her leave with Flash Step. After she had left, Hisana walked over to Ichigo.

"What was that all about?" She asked.

"Captain Soifon is very serious when it comes to her job. She's responsible for running the Stealth Force, and protecting the Shihōin Family. She refuses to let anyone do her job for her. I can understand how she feels, but her actions were completely uncalled for, and completely unbecoming of a Captain." Kaien said, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Alright, I'll go inform Captain Kuchiki about what's happened. Then I shall be on my way to Squad One for the forthcoming meeting Old Man Yama is going to be calling." Shunsui said as he walked off, waving to his fellow Officers.

"Ichigo, I believe you should go to Squad One right away. Lieutenant Shiba, perhaps you should go inform Captain Ukitake, if he's not resting. He'll need to know what's happened here." Unohana said as she exited the room and closed the door. "Lady Kuchiki, would you please notify your attendants that this area is considered off-limits until the body has been removed and any evidence has been collected and sent for analysis." Unohana directed, earning nods from all three before they left to do as commanded.

"Who could do such a thing, Captain Unohana?" Miyako asked.

"I'm afraid I don't have that answer, Third Seat Shiba. All I know is that someone is targeting Ichigo by assassinating Nobles. Why they are doing this? I cannot say." Unohana responded. "If you'll excuse me, I must go find Isane and Third Seat Iemura and have them make preparations at Squad Four."

Unohana left the scene with Flash Step, followed by Miyako, who decided to meet her husband to tell their Captain what had transpired at the Kuchiki Manor.

They all knew this was going to be a long night.

* * *

"This Captain's Meeting is hereby called to order!" Yamamoto slammed his cane against the floor, signalling the commencement of the meeting. "Less than an hour ago, I was notified of an assassination of a Noble at the Kuchiki Family's Summer Equinox Party."

"Oh my…" Gin whispered.

"Inconceivable!" Komamura breathed.

"So, a stuffy Noble's party finally became interesting? Too bad I wasn't there myself." Kenpachi commented with a smirk.

"We must work quickly to bring this killer to justice." Kaname said, staring straight ahead.

"This is all very interesting, I'm sure, but could someone tell me why Captain Aizen's Lieutenant is here? I thought this was a _Captain's_ meeting. I can understand Lieutenant Shiba being here in Captain Ukitake's place, but Lieutenant Kurosaki has no business here." Captain Kurotsuchi commented.

"That is where you are wrong, Captain Kurotsuchi. It seems this assassin has issued a direct challenge to Lieutenant Kurosaki to bring him to justice. Not only has he killed one noble already, but he stated Lady Yukiko Shihōin would be next, and should anyone else decide to interfere, he has threatened Master Yūshirō Shihōin's life as well." The Head Captain explained.

"With all due respect, Head Captain, wouldn't it be beneficial to have all Captains, Lieutenants and the Stealth Force working on this? Surely, the Shihōin family would be safe with so many high-ranking Soul Reapers guarding them?" Komamura asked.

"Captain Soifon… I shall defer to you to answer this question." The Head Captain said, looking at the Stealth Force Commander.

"The Stealth Force was already in place around the Kuchiki Manor at the time the murder occurred. No-one was aware anything had happened until Lady Yukiko found the deceased." Soifon said without any emotion in her voice.

"Then what do you suggest we do, Head Captain? As talented as Ichigo might be, you can't expect him to do everything by himself." Aizen said, looking at his Lieutenant.

"No, but we shall be taking a 'hands off' approach to help. Captain Kurotsuchi and his Squad will be analysing any and all evidence collected by the Stealth Force at the crime scene and Captain Unohana will be performing a medical examination of the body in hopes of finding any clues that could aid Lieutenant Kurosaki." Yamamoto explained.

"So, what do we do until then? Just sit back and wait for the killer to strike again?" Aizen asked.

"Not at all. As of this moment, I am placing Lieutenant Kurosaki in charge of protecting the Shihōin family. Captain Soifon, you shall withdraw any and all Stealth Force Members currently assigned to the Shihōin Manor as soon as we are finished here. Is that understood?" The Head Captain asked.

"Yes, sir…" Soifon said, albeit reluctantly.

"Furthermore, I believe it is time we do something about the current vacancy of the Captain's Seat of Squad Ten. It has been almost twenty years since Captain Isshin Shiba vanished, and while I would very much like an explanation as to why that happened, it is not a priority. Filling the empty seat is what is of the utmost importance." Yamamoto explained.

"Is there anyone within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads that can fill that position? Aside from Lieutenant Sasakibe, I mean… I'm sure Lieutenant Kuchiki is capable, as I've seen his Bankai, but… Hmm, is that why he has been conveniently 'unavailable'? You're promoting him to Squad Ten Captain?" Shunsui asked.

"No, I did approach Lieutenant Kuchiki about the possibility, but he declined, stating that his position is in Squad Six, and will not transfer to another Squad." The Head Captain responded.

"Yes, Byakuya always was a stubborn one…" Ginrei commented as Shunsui looked to the Lieutenant's Grandfather, nodding in understanding.

"Then who is there to fill the position? Should we start looking within our Squads to see who has a Bankai?" Komamura asked.

"There is no need, Captain Komamura; the position has already been filled." Yamamoto declared, earning a confused look from everyone except Ginrei and Unohana, who knew exactly who the Head Captain was referring to. "You may enter!" The Head Captain commanded, banging his cane against the floor once more, as the large doors to the meeting room opened.

The great doors slowly opened, revealing the newly appointed Squad Ten Captain. Most, if not all were shocked, but it was Ichigo and Kaien who stared at the new Captain in utter disbelief.

" _Miyako?!_ "

* * *

 **A/N; Oooh, it's getting crazy up in here! Lots of shit is going down now, yo! Ahem… Well, as you can see, there have been quite a few surprises along the way in this Chapter. This Chapter was mainly for character development and story progression, which is why lots of new characters were introduced.**

 **Before I continue, let me just say; Oh my fucking God, man! You people are fucking amazing! The amount of views, favourites, follows and reviews you're giving my Fanfic is just incredible! This month alone, it's had over 4,500 hits! With a record-smashing 612 hits in a single day! It's had a total of 9,717 at the time I posted this Chapter, so almost half the views have come from this month alone! 82 People have Favourited it and 113 people are Following it, and with 94 Reviews, it's getting closer to that magic 100… I wonder if any of those stats will reach the Thousands, and I wonder if the View Count will reach six figures, or even SEVEN?! I'm getting ahead of myself. I just wanted to thank you all for the continued support and I hope it'll continue right up until the very end!**

 **So, someone has murdered the Kasumiōji Clan Viceroy. Who could it be? No, it wasn't Aizen or any of his allies, as Aizen has nothing to gain from doing so. We got to see Ichigo in Nobility Mode and finally see Hisana for more than a few moments. How will Rukia react when she learns she has a sister? We'll find out soon. For now, we'll be focussing more on Ichigo protecting Yukiko and Yūshirō. I wonder what will happen now that Ichigo and Yukiko are together almost all the time…?**

 **Ok, I'm willing to bet that none of you were expecting this Chapter to end the way it did. Truth be told, I've been playing with the idea of giving Miyako a Bankai and having her use it while in the World of the Living to fight Ichinose, but I decided to go on a different path and here's the result. Don't worry, you'll see her Bankai at some point… I hope it'll be worth the wait.**

 **Speaking of Bankai and Captaincy, Ichigo will begin the Bankai Training Process soon. He'll be a Captain quite soon… I hope… I've kinda been putting it off, simply because I kinda felt like everything was rushed; his time at the Academy, becoming a Lieutenant immediately. I feel like you'll all get annoyed if I make him a Captain so soon.**

 **Alright, I feel like I need to address the elephant in the room… That scene I marked for possible distressing content. Well, I'm afraid it's not just for shock value, it's an integral part of the story that will be used for character development and inter-character relationships as the story progresses. I doubt I'll be actually writing a scene like that again, but it was important to put in nonetheless. If I have to do it again, I'll make sure to mark it just like before.**

 **That aside, Grimmjow is now the Sixth Espada. The way I see it, Grimmjow was bumped right up to six for these reasons; Aaroniero is only a Gillian Class Menos, meaning he's only ever going to be the Novena Espada, even if he is more powerful than Grimmjow, or even Nnoitra (If you'll remember, when Rukia kills Aaroniero in Canon, Zommari comments that 'The last of the Original Espada have fallen', meaning he was always Number Nine, despite how powerful he may have been). Szayelaporro is a scientist, and not a combat expert, meaning he's the weakest Espada out of them all, so he can only be the Octava, since Aaroniero is the Novena by default. Zommari is by far the fastest, with his Sonido allowing him to create copies of himself, meaning he is the Septima because of his incredible speed, which would make him a strong fighter. Grimmjow, however, is more brutal and bloodthirsty and a better fighter. The only reason he wasn't an Espada right off the bat was because Aizen needed to test his loyalty, so he was waiting for an opportunity for Grimmjow to do just that, which Gin gave to him. I probably should have explained that earlier, but at least you now know.**

 **What secrets with Master Sun Tzu's** _ **'The Art of War'**_ **hold? Only time will tell… Ggio is hard at work translating it, but Grimmjow still needs to read it and understand it.**

 **I hope everyone enjoyed this Chapter. As for the outfits for the party, I just Googled 'Formal Japanese Outfits' or something and used that as a guide. If anything's wrong, I'm sorry. I don't know a whole hell of a lot about Japanese culture, so don't get angry if things aren't correct.**

 **Speaking of the party, I just want to make a few points known; I've made the Shiba Clan one of the Four Great Noble Houses, simply because they were once Nobility (though they were actually the Fifth Noble House), and the Kasumiōji Clan, because fuck trying to make up a new Family simply to make up numbers for a one-off event. That being said, in my story, the Four Great Noble Families are the Kuchiki, Shihōin, Shiba and Kasumiōji. Just so y'all are clear on that topic.**

 **Inspiration for this Chapter didn't come from Music, it came from The Witcher 3 and it's DLC Expansion; Blood and Wine. I own only a copy of the game and the Expansion. I don't actually own any part of The Witcher Series or the names of any titles CD Projekt Red create. But, since they didn't pull a dick move and copyright 'Blood and Wine' or 'Hearts of Stone' like** _ **some**_ **company (Yes, I'm looking at you, dickhead creators of Candy Crush Saga, who copyrighted 'Crush' and 'Saga', meaning any company who wants to create a game, can't call it anything with the words 'Crush Saga' in it, lest they want to be sued… Or some stupid bullshit like that). Whatever happened to the days where people would team up to make bigger and better things, like the team of 'Black Cat and Big Fuck-Off Rat'*? (*Name courtesy of Ozzy Man Reviews; check his shit out on Facebook or YouTube, ya dickheads! (You'll get that reference if you watch his shit and if you do, be sure to tell everyone how you got there! Endorsements, motherfuckers! (By that, I mean you're endorsing me and my story, not me endorsing his vids, though that would be sweet!))) I believe I'm going off track… BACK TO THE POINT!**

 **Lastly, I have a rough idea on an ending for this Fanfic. We're light years away from it though, so worry not! But, more excitingly, the idea I have can possibly open the door to a sequel of this story. Isn't that exciting?!**

 **That's all I have to say, let's dive into the reviews!**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; Looks like you're really enjoying my work. I hope you continue to do so as we begin to get into the guts of everything! I hope you liked the party and the introduction of new characters and that you think they were well written. Are you saying 'Shiro' is what people call 'White' in AU, or Canon? I've never heard of anyone calling Zangetsu (The Zanpakutō Spirit, not the Old Man) 'Shiro' before, but Ichigo's Quincy Powers have been referred to as 'Old Man Zangetsu'. I love Hisana! It sucks how we got to see so little of her in Canon, and by that, I mean in Flashbacks for like one episode in the Anime for a few seconds. I'm pleased you like the title change; thank SnowyAssas1n for the description and the help.**

 **DRADX; A good question, but mostly redundant. As Ichigo has his Hollow when he leaves with Aizen, he'll be ready to become an Arrancar pretty quickly. That being said, none of the other Arrancar or Espada would be dumb enough to attack him, as he's on Aizen's side, much like Gin and Kaname. You mean what White (I mean the** _ **REAL**_ **Zangetsu looked like when Ichigo was in the Dangai) looked like is what I should use for Ichigo's appearance as an Espada? I'll need to look at it again and see what he looks like, but I might just do that, and if I do, all credit will go to you.**

 **Fathira; Yes, Bleach has come to an end after 15 years… However, it wasn't Kubo's fault. He was rushed by Shonen Jump to finish it. They pretty much said 'Have it finished by this date, as we won't be publishing anymore after that', so he had to cram a shit ton of stuff into a few Chapters so he could make the deadline, which is why it had a poor ending. HOWEVER… There is a possibility of there being a new Series of Bleach at some point. Think about it, there was the 10 Year Time Skip; Rukia and Renji have a daughter (who is just adorable, by the way) and Ichigo and Orihime have a son who is also a Soul Reaper. There is no way in hell Kubo did all that and ultimately slammed the door shut, locked it and tossed the key. The door for a new series is there, it's merely been closed and all Kubo has to do is open it again in a few years and we'll have a new series and all will be right with the world. Actually, I have an ending planned out for my Fanfic already. It's nothing concrete, but there might be the possibility of having a sequel…?! Ichigo's Quincy Power will be explored at a later date, right now it's all about his Hollow and Soul Reaper Powers.**

 **Lobisomen616; It is indeed terrifying. Grimmjow is a powerhouse to begin with. Just imagine what he can do if he uses predetermined strategies and knows what Nnoitra is thinking of doing before even Nnoitra knows. Now** _ **that**_ **is terrifying!**

 **FindingProvidence; Thank you! I hope this Chapter is pleasing to you as well, in regards to Character development and dialogue. Yeah, I know Isshin is a strong man, but everyone has their breaking point. You can't expect a man to lose the woman he loves and his only son within a decade and have him act as if he's right as rain. When Masaki died, he needed to be strong for his kids, but when Ichigo died… It was the straw the broke the camel's back… Or whatever the hell that saying is. Yeah, I'll probably be putting them in before Aizen defects, as there'd be no point in having them happen afterwards. They'll probably only last a few Chapters though… I'm starting to think I'm going to exceed my target of having the Soul Reaper Arc finished within 30 Chapters. I have so much content to get through. I'm sure you won't mind if it's longer than 30 Chapters, right? If this is an issue, remember this; however long the Soul Reaper Arc is, the Arrancar one will be FAR,** _ **FAR**_ **longer, as I have lots of ideas and characters to develop, plus relationships and maybe several lemons. Does this please you? Once Momo graduates, we'll be seeing more of her with Ichigo, so there's that to look forward to as well.**

 **Naruto; Thanks, buddy! I hope you enjoy my future Chapters!**

 **ScarletRoofs; We're getting into the guts of things now, so be prepared for anything and everything! It's gonna be a rollercoaster and I hope you'll enjoy the ride! Who knows when Ichigo and Uryū will meet again, who knows? Oh, wait; I do. But that's a secret. Aizen and his plans make you cringe? That's bad, isn't it? Hmm, that's a shame… I was hoping everyone was enjoying them. Well, can't please everyone! Sorry it's not to your tastes! I hope it doesn't detract from the overall experience of reading my Fanfic.**

 **That's it for another exciting instalment of 'Hollowed Be Thy Name'. Until next time; goodbye my friends, goodbye!**


	14. A New Breed Of Warriors

Chapter Fourteen – A New Breed Of Warriors

" _There is no need, Captain Komamura; the position has already been filled." Yamamoto declared, earning a confused look from everyone except Ginrei and Unohana, who knew exactly who the Head Captain was referring to. "You may enter!" The Head Captain commanded, banging his cane against the floor once more, as the large doors to the meeting room opened._

 _The great doors slowly opened, revealing the newly appointed Squad Ten Captain. Most, if not all were shocked, but it was Ichigo and Kaien who stared at the new Captain in utter disbelief._

" _Miyako?!"_

* * *

All that were present simply stared at Miyako. She was the last person they expected to be named a Captain.

"What is this? You expect me to believe this woman has a Bankai?" Zaraki scoffed.

"I must admit, I never expected you to become a Captain, Lady Shiba." Komamura said, looking at Miyako.

"Miyako… Why didn't you tell me you had a Bankai?" Kaien asked, looking at his wife.

"Enough! Miyako Shiba has taken the Captain's Proficiency Test and passed. Both Captain Kuchiki and Captain Unohana can confirm this, as they were the other two Captains present, along with Captain Ukitake and myself." The Head Captain declared.

"Indeed, and it is a most impressive Bankai; incredibly formidable." Ginrei commented, with Unohana nodding in agreement.

"Now, I believe that is all that needed discussing. To sum up, Lieutenant Kurosaki will be assigned to protecting the Shihōin Family effective immediately. Captain Soifon will remove any and all Stealth Force Members from the Shihōin Residence and deploy a small team to collect evidence from the crime scene at the Kuchiki Manor, and have it sent to Squad Twelve for analysis. We will not allow the individual responsible to escape justice! You are all dismissed!" The Head Captain stated.

"Ichigo, before you begin your new assignment, I need to speak with you. Meet me in my office in an hour." Aizen whispered as all the Captains started filing out.

"As you wish, sir." Ichigo said with a nod as Captain Aizen left the meeting.

"Miyako, wait!" Kaien called out.

"What is it, Kaien?" Miyako asked with a smile.

"You have a Bankai… Why didn't you tell me about it?" Kaien asked.

"Yes, I know and I'm sorry, but I never really found time to tell you. I ended up being sent to the World of the Living, where I had hoped to test it out in a combat situation but found no opportunity, then when I returned, I found out the Kuchiki's were holding their Summer Equinox Party and Captain Ukitake had me take my Captain's Exam the day after I returned… There was just too much going on, I had no opportune time to tell you." Miyako explained with an apologetic look.

"Hey, it's fine. I just… Well, I never expected you to have a Bankai. I'm proud of you." Kaien said, pulling his wife in for a hug.

"Yeah, I am too. I mean, your Shikai was impressive when you showed me and Shūhei in the World of the Living; I'd very much like to see your Bankai." Ichigo said with a smile as he walked over to his cousins.

"Perhaps one day… To be honest, it's more impressive when fully utilised in combat." Miyako said.

"So, that aside, how does it feel to be the Captain of Uncle Isshin's old Squad?" Kaien asked.

"Honestly, I'm honoured that I've been given the opportunity to succeed Isshin as Captain of Squad Ten. I hope I can do as good of a job as he did." Miyako said with a smile.

"Ah, I'm sure you'll be alright. Dad is a complete goof and is never organised for anything." Ichigo said with a wave of his hand.

"Yeah, Ichigo's right. Uncle Isshin, while an incredible Soul Reaper, was really lazy with his paperwork. Rangiku would always complain about it at Lieutenant's Meetings." Kaien laughed.

"Oh, I bet Nanao scolded her for complaining about it." Ichigo smirked, earning a nod from Kaien.

"Oh, yeah. She knows all too well what it's like to have a Captain who shirks his paperwork. Uncle Isshin and Captain Kyōraku were the best of friends. They'd always sneak off to go have a drink together, or Uncle Isshin would go off to see Captain Unohana. The difference between Nanao and Rangiku is that Nanao is diligent with her duties, Rangiku is not." Kaien explained.

"Hey, Miyako, how about we take you over to Squad Ten and help you get settled in? I'm sure the members will be eager to meet their new Captain." Ichigo asked.

"That would be nice, thank you." Miyako said with a bow.

"Yeah, I bet Rangiku is going to be over the moon about having a new Captain. Less paperwork for her to do." Kaien chuckled.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Uncle Isshin might have piled all his paperwork onto her, but I won't. That doesn't mean to say she'll be getting out of doing hers so easily." Miyako said with a smile.

"Fair point, there's also the fact you're a woman, which means her 'charms' aren't going to work on you." Ichigo pointed out.

"That hasn't stopped her in the past… I'm guessing you never heard about what happened between her and Nemu?" Kaien asked.

"No, what happened there?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmm, long story short; Rangiku managed to convince Nemu to take some time away from Squad Twelve, probably encouraged by Akon, and have a 'Girl's Night Out' with the Women's Soul Reaper Association. Rangiku got drunk and Nemu took her home, only to be 'convinced' to stay the night by Rangiku." Miyako explained.

"Really? I didn't think Nemu was the kind of individual to be swayed by sex. Especially from another woman." Ichigo said.

"Well, when Captain Kurotsuchi made her, he was _incredibly thorough_ with all the details. Perhaps he made her with some modicum of free will, so she could decide who she was attracted to?" Kaien reasoned.

"Captain Kurotsuchi doesn't sound like the kind of person that would allow someone to have 'free will'." Ichigo said, scratching his head.

"No, but he does have a huge superiority complex. Creating life, giving free will… Who else does that?" Miyako asked.

"A God." Kaien said, earning a nod from his wife.

"Precisely. I think Captain Kurotsuchi likes to think he's something of a God." Miyako said.

"I suppose that makes sense… Either way, I think you should keep the alcohol away from Rangiku. Sounds like she's one of those people that will sleep with anything that moves when she's drunk." Ichigo said.

"Already been taken care of. I managed to find and relocate all of Lieutenant Matsumoto's liquor. I might have had a little help from Lieutenant Ise… But you didn't hear that from me." Miyako smiled cheekily, causing her husband and her cousin to laugh.

* * *

Ichigo and Kaien escorted the newly appointed Captain of Squad Ten to her barracks. She had decided against announcing her promotion to Captain as soon as she got there, explaining it to be best if she left it until the morning. Both Lieutenants agreed and said their goodbyes. Ichigo decided it was time he paid Captain Aizen a visit.

"Come in, Ichigo. Take a seat." Aizen said as Ichigo knocked on the door to his office.

"Good evening, Captain. You wished to speak with me?" Ichigo asked, taking a seat at Captain Aizen's request.

"Yes, I just wanted to discuss a few things with you. A lot has happened tonight, hasn't it?" He asked as he signed off on some paperwork and placed it in a folder on his desk.

"That's a bit of an understatement, isn't it sir?" Ichigo asked, making Aizen chuckle slightly.

"Indeed… Miyako Shiba becoming a Captain and you basically doing Captain Soifon's job for her. A very interesting night, to say the least." Aizen looked up from his desk and smiled at Ichigo.

"Yeah, I can guarantee Captain Soifon isn't happy about that." Ichigo said with a shrug.

"I'm afraid not, but it doesn't matter…" Captain Aizen sighed and removed his glasses to clean them. "Lady Yukiko Shihōin… How do you feel, being made to protect one of the most powerful women in the Soul Society?"

"I really don't know. I mean, sure, there's a whole lot of pressure on me to make sure she doesn't die, and I know Captain Soifon will be watching me like a hawk… There's also something about her that intrigues me…" Ichigo said, causing Aizen to nod in understanding.

"Yes, she is a very attractive woman. She also happens to be the kind of woman who gets what she wants. It would be very unwise to refuse her 'requests'." Aizen stated.

"What? No! That's not what I meant, but thanks for adding _more_ pressure to the situation. I meant her appearance; she looks just like her daughter." Ichigo stated, turning a light shade of red.

"Ah, yes… That _is_ intriguing. Yoruichi is the spitting image of her mother, and they seem to share the same personality. Although, Lady Yukiko is far more… Diplomatic and subtle in her actions." Aizen explained.

"Yeah, I noticed that…" Ichigo mumbled, thinking back to his interactions with her at the Kuchiki Clan's party.

"However, that wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about." Aizen said, causing Ichigo to look at him curiously.

"I don't know who is targeting the Noble Houses, but if they were able to sneak in to a party that was guarded by the Stealth Force and murder someone without alerting anyone, it goes without saying that they must be incredibly skilled and incredibly strong. You're going to need something to fight against that. An 'ace in the hole' so to speak." Aizen looked at Ichigo and uttered a single word. "Bankai."

"Wait, are you telling me I'm going to need a Bankai to stop this guy? Well, that's not going to happen, as I don't think Lady Yukiko has ten years to spare." Ichigo said.

"Yes, I know… But what if I told you I had a way to drastically reduce the time needed to achieve Bankai?" Aizen asked, getting Ichigo's attention.

"Really? How long are we talking? Five years?" Ichigo looked at Aizen who shook his head and smiled.

"Three days." He spoke.

Aizen's words were spoken calmly and quietly, but they sounded like thunder in Ichigo's ears. Ichigo stared at his Captain in disbelief.

"Three days…" Ichigo whispered.

"That's right. I have a way for you to achieve the Bankai Release twelve hundred times faster than normal." Aizen said, before he looked at Ichigo with a serious look on his face. "However, I must warn you; if you fail to achieve Bankai through this method before the three days are up, you'll _never_ be able to achieve it."

"What?! Why?!" Ichigo yelled in shock.

"I'm afraid it's a side-effect of the training. You put your body and soul under incredible levels of stress and if you fail to succeed, then your body will no longer be able to cope with trying to learn Bankai, under any means." Aizen said, causing Ichigo to look at him with wide eyes.

"Alright, then let's get to it." Ichigo said, earning a chuckle from Aizen.

"I thought you might say that, but I'm afraid we'll have to wait." Aizen said.

"Why? I thought you just said I would need my Bankai to beat whoever this guy is!" Ichigo said, sounding confused.

"Yes, it's likely you will, but you also need to remember Head Captain Yamamoto ordered all Captains to stay away from the Shihōin Family. Since you can't leave them alone and I can't be there to train you, we're at an impasse." Aizen said sadly.

"Dammit… Then what do we do? I would like to think I can leave Lady Yukiko for three days while I learn Bankai, but I can't risk putting her in danger. I can't let this guy just run about killing people either. Dammit." Ichigo growled as he balled up his fists. He really had no idea what to do.

"Hold on, Ichigo… Head Captain Yamamoto may have ordered us to stay away while the killer is in hiding… I don't recall him telling us to stay away if you apprehend him and engage him in battle." Aizen commented with a grin.

"I see where this is going… You're saying that I just simply have to make sure I keep him occupied long enough to have you arrive as back up." Ichigo stated.

"Now you're getting it. I knew there was a reason I named you as my Lieutenant." Aizen said, smiling.

"You mean to tell me it _wasn't_ my charm and my wit?" Ichigo joked, causing both men to laugh.

"I believe that is all I needed to discuss with you. You are free to leave. I would suggest you head over to the Shihōin Manor immediately; even though the killer has struck tonight, we can't risk him striking now, when we assume he'll be in hiding." Aizen said.

"Yeah, good point. The quicker we take action, the faster we can wrap this up and the Shihōin Family will be safe." Ichigo said as he stood up, bowed to his Captain and made his way out.

"Oh, Ichigo…" Aizen began, causing Ichigo to turn and raise an eyebrow at his Captain. "I wasn't kidding when I said it would be unwise to refuse Lady Yukiko. Being one of the most powerful women in the Soul Society, she can make your life a living hell if you displease her. I'd hate for your career as a Soul Reaper to come to a grinding halt because you told her 'No'." Aizen looked at his Lieutenant. He most certainly was _not_ joking.

"Right… I hope it doesn't come to that…" Ichigo sighed as he left the Captain's office.

* * *

Meanwhile, while Ichigo was receiving his orders to guard Lady Yukiko and Master Yūshirō, his friends in the World of the Living were desperately trying to learn more about what Ichigo had become.

"Alright, so we got nothing from Isshin. The poor guy was a wreck. It… It was kinda painful to see. He's in denial and that was really hard to witness." Tatsuki said as she locked the door and sat down on the bed.

"Yeah, and his sisters don't know anything either." Keigo sighed.

"What? Why did you go and talk to his sisters? They're just kids, you dumbass!" Tatsuki yelled.

"I tried to warn him, but did he listen? No, and he got what he deserved." Mizuiro shook his head.

"What happened to him?" Ryō asked.

"Do you want to tell them, or shall I?" Mizuiro asked as he looked at Keigo.

"Can we not talk about what happened with me? Say, Uryū, what did you find out?" Keigo asked, trying to deflect the question.

"Noooope! Tell them what happened!" Mizuiro said, causing Keigo to shake his head. "He made Yuzu cry, and Karin kicked him in the groin. Like I said 'got what he deserved'."

"Jeez, Keigo, what did you say?" Michiru asked, looking slightly annoyed. Knowing Keigo, he didn't handle the situation with kid gloves.

"Allow me to repeat what he said. Ahem… 'Hey, Ichigo's sisters! Did you know your brother is still here? He's like this awesome ninja samurai thing that harvests the souls of the dead to gain more power, or something. Anyway, I think he works for the Grim Reaper, or maybe even Satan. I know he likes the souls of the dead.' As you can see, no sensitivity." Mizuiro shook his head.

"Oh my God, Keigo! What's the matter with you?! That's horrible!" Michiru gasped.

"I'm glad Karin kicked you in the dick, because if she didn't I certainly would have!" Chizuru growled, cracking her knuckles and glaring at Keigo.

"Hey, in my defence, I couldn't remember what he was! All I knew is that he wore black and collects souls! Please don't hurt 'Little Keigo'!" Keigo cried, covering his crotch with his hands.

"You really are the pinnacle of stupidity, aren't you Keigo?" Ryō said, scowling at Keigo.

"Can we stop making this a targeted attack on me?! Aren't we forgetting Uryū went to talk to his dad? Surely he must have something to share." Keigo said, pointing to Uryū who was sat on a chair in the corner of the room.

"I'm sure he does, but we're not done with scalding you for your idiocy!" Tatsuki shouted, throwing a pillow at Keigo.

"Um, guys, I think we're getting off the point here. I thought this was learning more about what Ichigo is now?" Chad said from his seat on the floor.

"Chad's right, you guys. Bashing Keigo isn't going to get us anywhere." Orihime added.

"Fine! Uryū, what did you learn from your dad?" Tatsuki asked.

"A lot. First of all, Tatsuki, you were right about one thing; the death of my mother, and Ichigo's mother was indeed connected." Uryū began, causing the focus to shift to him. "There's something you all need to know about Ichigo and his family. Ichigo parents… Well, his mother was a Quincy, like my family, and his father was a Soul Reaper."

As soon as Uryū revealed that piece of information, the room went silent. No-one was even breathing. Uryū took this as a sign to continue.

"His mother was a pure-blood Quincy, who was meant to marry my father as a part of some 'Arranged Quincy Marriage', but she ended up meeting Isshin and marrying him. The reason she died was because she was stripped of her Quincy Powers, just like my mother. However, the difference between my mother and Masaki was that my mother still had her powers when she was 'selected'. Masaki lost hers after battling a Hollow; Isshin lost his powers as a result of trying to save her life." Uryū explained.

"How did losing her powers result in her death? You said she already lost her powers from battling a Hollow. I don't understand…" Mahana spoke, looking a little confused.

"Yes, she lost her powers because of a Hollow attack, but she was still a Quincy, her powers were still a part of her being, even if she couldn't tap into them." Uryū clarified.

"So, how was there a difference between the two events? How did losing their powers kill them, yet Isshin managed to survive losing his." Ryō asked.

"Soul Reapers and Quincies are two totally different beings. Soul Reapers are created from spiritual beings being able to access a wellspring of spiritual power, whereas Quincies are humans, all of them given power from one person, the Quincy King. There is a tale from Quincy History, known as the _Kaiser Gesang_ or the 'Emperor's Song' that mentions a sealed King. Long story short; the King is able to regain his powers by 'selecting' Quincy he deems to be impure, stealing their powers to enhance his own. Since every Quincy's power comes from him, he can pick and choose his victims." Uryū said, telling his friends what he had been told by Ryūken.

"I still don't follow. How is it that your mom didn't die immediately, yet Ichigo's did? I thought losing their powers killed them? Mizuiro questioned.

"That's because my mother still had her powers. When she was stripped of them, her body shut down and slowly decayed from the loss of her powers, which ultimately resulted in her death. Masaki, on the other hand, didn't have her powers when the Quincy King selected her. As a result, her soul itself, being entwined with the Quincy Power, was stripped from her, as she had no powers to lose. When the soul is removed from the body, the body itself dies… However, the soul can return to the body, provided the Chain of Fate is still intact." Uryū summed up.

"Chain of Fate? What's that?" Keigo asked.

"Have you ever heard of someone who's died but come back to life, or had an out-of-body experience?" Uryū asked, causing everyone to nod. "Well, that's the result of the soul leaving the body, but the Chain of Fate is still intact, which tethers the soul to the body; once that breaks, there's no going back. Either you wait for a Soul Reaper to come and help you pass over, or the Chain devours itself, which ends up destroying your heart and turns you into a Hollow."

"Wow, that sounds pretty hardcore…" Keigo said.

"I knew it!" Tatsuki shouted. "I knew Isshin was hiding something from us!"

"What do you mean?" Mahana asked.

"When Orihime and I went to talk to Isshin and said Ichigo was a Soul Reaper, he looked like he had seen a ghost. He knew what happened to Ichigo because he was one of them!" Tatsuki explained.

"I think we need to go and have another talk with Dr. Kurosaki. He'll know a way to contact Ichigo!" Michiru said.

Everyone in the room all nodded in agreement. This time, they were _all_ going to go talk with Isshin.

"Keigo! Are you in there?!" An angry voice yelled from the other side of the door.

"Oh, no…" Keigo whispered.

"Keigo! I know you're in there! I heard voices! Hey, why is your door locked?!" The person shouted, fumbling with the handle.

"No… We have to get out of here, now!" Keigo said, opening his window and gesturing everyone to leave through it.

"KEIGO, OPEN THIS DOOR, DO YOU HEAR ME?!" The voice was even angrier and now the person was banging on the door, trying to break it down.

"PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST GET OUT OF HERE!" Keigo pleaded in a panicked voice as the door was kicked open and Keigo's sister stormed in.

"KEIGO! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I–?!" Mizuho yelled before stopping at seeing a line of girls climbing out of the window, followed by Mizuiro, Chad and Uryū.

"Uhh, Mizuho… It's not what it looks like!" Keigo tried to explain.

"I'M TELLING MOM YOU WERE TRYING TO HOLD A SEX PARTY IN YOUR ROOM!" Mizuho yelled as she slammed the door and ran off.

"What did she just say?!" Tatsuki shouted.

"Eww, gross! As if I'd touch Keigo with a ten foot pole!" Mahana yelled, making a disgusted sound at the thought.

"A ten foot pole? I wouldn't touch him with a fifty foot one!" Ryō said, shuddering.

"Oh, you guys are _so_ funny! Just climb out the window and let's go see Dr. Kurosaki!" Keigo shouted, ushering the girls to the window.

"Alright, fine. But look away, I don't want you seeing my panties, you pervert!" Michiru said, causing Keigo to turn red.

"Pervert?! I'm so offended! I don't even find any of you attractive!" Keigo shouted. It was a poor choice of words on his part.

"What did you say?!" All the girls yelled at Keigo.

"No! I mean… Oh, just get it over with…" Keigo sighed as he assumed the foetal position on the ground, preparing himself for the beating he was about to receive.

"Like I said, no sensitivity…" Mizuiro sighed as all the girls except Orihime beat up Keigo.

"Mhmm…" Chad nodded his head as he watched, while Uryū simply shook his head.

* * *

Back in the Soul Society, Ichigo had arrived outside the gates of the Shihōin Mansion and looked up at the giant building that was home to one of the Four Great Noble Families.

"Wow, this place looks like it's locked up tighter than Fort Knox. How is this guy going to get in without being caught?" Ichigo said to himself.

Ichigo took a step forward and froze in his spot as an arrow shot through the air and smashed into the ground next to his right foot.

"Hold it right there, intruder!" A guard yelled out from a watchtower. "State your business or die!" The guard raised his hand and Ichigo heard the sound of arrows being loaded into bows and the strings being drawn.

"Hold your fire! I'm Lieutenant Ichigo Kurosaki of Squad Five! I've been given orders to protect Lady Yukiko from an assassin!" Ichigo called out.

"Hold your fire men! Alright, 'Lieutenant'… Wait there and I'll be down to verify your claims!" The guard shouted as he left his post at the watchtower.

Five minutes later, Ichigo finally saw the guard approach the gates with a lantern. When he reached the gate and shone the lantern on Ichigo, did he realise Ichigo was indeed telling the truth.

"Oh, it _is_ you, Lieutenant Kurosaki! I'd notice that hair anywhere!" The guard said, causing Ichigo to scowl. "My apologies, I'm sure you know how it is; with an assassin running around targeting Lady Yukiko, we can't be too careful."

"Yeah, yeah… Just hurry up and unlock the gate. Where is Lady Yukiko?" Ichigo asked as the guard unlocked the gate and stepped into the compound.

"She's up in the manor with Master Yūshirō. Come, I'll escort you there. Can't risk one of the guards at the door killing you, can we?" The guard chuckled.

The guard escorted Ichigo up a steep, winding pathway that led all the way up to the main doors of the manor.

"Wow, I don't think Lady Yukiko has anything to worry about if that's how you have to get up here. What is this, Mount Everest? Jesus…" Ichigo breathed as they reached the top of the path.

"Yes, it is a rather steep incline. You'll get used to it at some point." The guard said.

"What makes you think I'll be coming back once this is over?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"People always struggle to resist Lady Yukiko and her requests. If she wants you to return, you _will_ return." The guard stated.

"Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot recently." Ichigo mumbled as the approached the main doors.

"Who is that man with you, Captain?" One of the guards at the door asked, raising a spear at Ichigo.

"Put that thing down before you hurt yourself." Ichigo growled.

"Please, lower your weapon. This is Lieutenant Kurosaki… He's been tasked with protecting Lady Yukiko while this assassin is still at large." The Guard Captain announced.

"Oh, I see. Please, go right in." The guard at the door said, lowering his spear and bowing to the two men.

"One more thing, Lieutenant… I know you are a Shiba by blood, but you hold a different name. Lady Yukiko is also aware of this, but prefers to address you as a Shiba; please don't take offence to it." The Guard Captain explained.

"I won't, it'll be fine. Can we go in now? It's freezing out here." Ichigo said, pointing to his breath which was visible in the cold night air.

"Of course. Go right in, Lady Yukiko is expecting you." The Guard Captain said.

"Yeah, I figured as much…" Ichigo muttered as the doors to the manor opened, and Ichigo went inside.

As Ichigo entered, he looked around and saw nothing but marble floors, stairways made of marble and covered with a purple carpet and various paintings and other ornaments on display.

"Hello?! Is anyone home?!" Ichigo yelled, hoping that it would get someone's attention.

"Lord Shiba, is that you?" Yukiko called out as Ichigo looked up and saw the Shihōin Family Matriarch at the top of the stairs.

"Good evening, Lady Yukiko. I have been assigned to guard you until this assassin has been brought to justice." Ichigo said, bowing to the noblewoman.

"Oh, wonderful! I feel safer already." Yukiko said as she silently glided down the staircase and into the foyer.

Ichigo couldn't help but notice what Yukiko was wearing. A black, silk nightgown that loosely hung off her form as a long trail of her gown followed her down the staircase. It was tied up in the middle, but it hung open enough to show off her long legs and ample cleavage.

Lady Yukiko might have been subtle in her actions, but Ichigo wasn't. He stared at Yukiko as she walked over to him.

"Like what you see?" She purred in his ear, her golden eyes were sparkling with mischief and… _Desire_.

Ichigo was transfixed by Yukiko's eyes that he simply nodded without realising it.

"Ooh, naughty… I like it." She whispered as she spun around, her soft purple hair slapping Ichigo across the face, breaking him out of his stupor.

"Lady Yukiko, where is Master Yūshirō?" Ichigo asked, trying to change the subject.

"Hmm? Oh, Yūshirō is with Lady Kasumiōji. She's staying with us for the time being." Yukiko said as she beckoned Ichigo to follow her.

"I guess that's a smart idea. Lady Rurichiyo is just a girl; I doubt her bodyguards would be able to protect her, considering this guy slipped past an entire squad of Stealth Force members." Ichigo said as he followed Yukiko down a wide hallway.

"Yes, if I might share a secret with you, my Lord, I'm not pleased with Captain Soifon and her Stealth Force. Allowing a killer slip into the Kuchiki Manor and kill Master Kumoi without alerting a single one of her men… That is a shameful display of leadership. She should have spent more time doing her job as the Commander, instead of watching over me and my son. We were surrounded by several Captains and Lieutenants; we were perfectly safe." Yukiko said as she turned a corner and carried on her way.

"You don't like Captain Soifon? I should be surprised, yet I'm really not." Ichigo said bluntly.

"Her blind devotion to my family is a serious problem. I was willing to look past it when Yoruichi was in charge of the Stealth Force, but she is trying to emulate my daughter and that isn't what a Commander of the Stealth Force should be doing." Yukiko sighed as she reached a door at the end of the corridor and opened it. Ichigo was surprised to see a stairway going down.

"Sounds like Captain Soifon idolises your daughter, my Lady." Ichigo said.

"It was more than that. She was in love with my daughter, and it destroyed her when Yoruichi decided to run off with that Kisuke… I am so disappointed with her." Yukiko said sadly as she walked down the stairway.

"You can't help who you fall in love with, I suppose." Ichigo stated.

"I don't mean Soifon, my dear. I meant Yoruichi. Soifon was a promising young member of the Stealth Force and Yoruichi built her up, only to break her down by abandoning her. Now she's become a Captain who is full of bitter hatred and she tries to hide it by pretending it never happened." Yukiko explained.

"I'm sorry, but I don't quite follow. What are you trying to say exactly?" Ichigo asked.

"What I'm saying is that, by swearing blind devotion to our family, she's become intent on making sure another 'Kisuke' doesn't come along and take us away from her. It's impairing her judgement and I cannot have a Captain in charge of my Stealth Force who is not of sound mind." Yukiko concluded.

"I see now… I suppose that explains her outburst at the party…" Ichigo said.

"Outburst? What happened?" Yukiko asked, stopping and turning to look at Ichigo.

"Well, after we found Master Kumoi's body and the message that was left for me, I knew I had to protect you and Master Yūshirō. Soifon, however, had other plans." Ichigo began.

"Oh? Do tell…" Yukiko said, leaning against the wall. Ichigo noticed that, in the half-light, Lady Yukiko looked incredibly beautiful. Ichigo shook his head before continuing, noticing a small smirk on Yukiko's face.

"She claimed it was her responsibility to protect you and she wasn't going to allow me to do her job for her. Even when it was made clear that her involvement would put Master Yūshirō's life at risk, she refused to stand down. It took a very annoyed Captain Unohana to make her stand down. Not only that, but she struck me and threatened to execute me if, and I quote; 'there is a single hair out of place on _any_ Shihōin's head'." Ichigo quickly summed up what happened between him and Soifon at the party.

"I see… No, this is unacceptable. I believe I shall have a candid discussion with her once this is over. Not only did she refuse to stand down when it was clear her actions would put my son in danger, she also assaulted you and threatened your life. This is _not_ what I expect of the Commander of my Stealth Force. Thank you for being so honest, Lord Shiba." Yukiko said as she turned around and continued down the staircase until they reached another door. "My son is in here."

Yukiko opened the door and what Ichigo saw astounded him. He was looking at a massive underground training field. Rocks, canyons and sheer cliff faces were scattered all over the place.

"Whoa… This place is incredible!" Ichigo looked around in wonder.

"Yes, it is quite impressive. We had it built for Yoruichi when she was a little girl so she could come and play with Kisuke and Tessai when they were all children. I'm glad Yūshirō has been able to use it." Yukiko explained as she walked over to the edge of a cliff that was a sheer drop into a huge canyon. Ichigo would be lying if he said his heart didn't start beating rapidly when she stood at the edge. "Yūshirō! Come here, darling!" Yukiko called out, and a few seconds later Yūshirō appeared with Flash Step, followed by Rurichiyo Kasumiōji.

"Too slow again, Chi-Chiyo!" Yūshirō laughed.

"No fair, Yūshii! You got a head start!" Rurichiyo pouted.

"Yūshirō, you're getting better at Flash Step, aren't you?" Yukiko said with a smile as she escorted the children back towards Ichigo.

"Yep! Maybe one day I'll be as good as Sister!" Yūshirō said with a big smile. "Oh, hiya, Master Ichii! Why are you here?"

"Lord Shiba will be staying with us for a while as my guest. I expect you to treat him like family, alright?" Yukiko said.

"Oooh, alright! Yūshirō likes having friends over! Even if they're friends of mother! Yūshirō is happy to see you, Master Ichii!" Yūshirō said with a bow.

"Why is he referring to himself in the third person?" Ichigo whispered to Yukiko.

"Oh, that's just something he does when he gets really emotional. Yoruichi used to do it too. Isn't it adorable?" Yukiko said with a smile.

"Yeah, I suppose." Ichigo said. He didn't really know what else to say.

"Hey, Chi-Chiyo! How about Master Ichii plays some games with us? That could be fun, right?" Yūshirō said excitedly.

"Yeah, that would be so cool! Would you be able to play some games with us, Master Ichigo?" Rurichiyo asked.

"Sorry children, but Lord Shiba and I have a lot to discuss. I just brought him down here to let him know where you usually play, should he need to find you. In fact, it is rather late. I believe it's time for you two to get some rest." Yukiko said as she ushered the kids to the stairway.

"Aww, but that's no fun, right Chi-Chiyo?" Yūshirō said, looking to the Kasumiōji Princess.

"Hmm, wha–? What did you say, Yūshii? I'm tired." Rurichiyo said with a yawn. Yūshirō began to yawn as well.

"Alright, children, off you go! I'll see you in the morning." Yukiko said as she gave Yūshirō a hug and kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight, mother! Goodnight, Master Ichii!" Yūshirō bowed to the two adults before racing Rurichiyo up the stairs.

"Hey! Get back here, cheater!" Rurichiyo yelled as she chased after her friend.

"The pair of them are so cute! They'll make a wonderful husband and wife one day." Yukiko said as she watched the two children disappear up the stairs.

"Yeah, I have to admit, they do seem to be the best of friends." Ichigo said.

"Come along, my Lord; I'm sure we have much more to discuss." Yukiko said as she made her way towards the door.

"Actually, my Lady, there was something I wanted to ask you right now." Ichigo began getting Yukiko's attention. "This training ground, would I be able to use it?"

"Of course, but why would you need to use it?" Yukiko asked, looking at the Lieutenant curiously.

"My Captain believes this assassin is incredibly powerful. He believes I'll need to master the Bankai Release if I am to defeat him." Ichigo said, looking out over the training ground.

"Bankai? That takes ten years to master, doesn't it? While I wouldn't mind having you here for that long, I'd very much like to have this killer disposed of sooner than that." Yukiko said with a playful laugh.

"Not to worry, my Lady. I'll only need three days…" Ichigo said, turning to her.

"Three days?! My, my… You really _are_ a special one. I'll tell you what; if you can master Bankai in three days, I'll give you anything you want… And I mean _anything_." She said, running a hand down her body.

Ichigo couldn't even formulate a response. He just simply went red, causing Yukiko to giggle.

* * *

While the Stealth Force were collecting any evidence they could find at the crime scene, Captain Unohana decided to make a start on examining the body for any clues which might point to who killed Gyōkaku Kumoi.

It was the morning after the murder, and Captain Unohana was regretting leaving the medical examination until the morning. Spending all evening at the Kuchiki Family's party and all night in Captain's meetings and directing what to do with the body, the Squad Four Captain was far too tired to do her examination properly that night.

"Are you ready, Captain?" Third Seat Iemura asked, handing a scalpel to the Captain.

"Yes, thank you, Third Seat Iemura. Let us begin." She said, taking the scalpel and beginning to make the Y-Incision that was standard in all medical examinations on the deceased.

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Last time we came here, you regretted it immediately." Orihime said to her best friend.

"Yes, I'm sure. We now know more than we did before so there's no backing down. Besides, last time it was just us. Now the whole gang is here." Tatsuki said as she knocked on the door.

After the revelations about Ichigo's family, the group of schoolkids all decided to pay a visit to Isshin Kurosaki once again. They now knew who he _really_ was and, armed with that intelligence, they were now ready to get some answers out of the Soul Reaper turned Doctor.

"Oh, Tatsuki. Orihime. And friends." Isshin said as he answered the door, narrowing his eyes at the large group of people, who mainly consisted of girls. "I didn't know Ichigo was so popular with the ladies. He has some explaining to do…"

"Actually, Isshin, it's _you_ who has some explaining to do. We know everything." Tatsuki said, staring at Isshin.

"Hmm, 'everything'? Whatever do you mean?" Isshin said, looking at Tatsuki suspiciously.

"We know who you really are, and who Ichigo's mother really was." Ryō said, causing Isshin to stiffen slightly.

"Yeah, we know you were a Soul Reaper and Masaki was a Quincy! The jig is up, mister!" Keigo shouted, pointing a finger at Isshin.

"Idiot! Show some respect!" Tatsuki shouted, smashing a plant pot over Keigo's head, knocking him unconscious.

"You've been talking to Ryūken, haven't you?" Isshin asked quietly, looking directly at Uryū.

"Yes, after what we saw the other day, we started asking questions. Ryūken told me everything that happened twenty years ago." Uryū said, adjusting his glasses slightly.

"Well, I guess you had better all come inside. The weather might turn nasty soon." Isshin sighed, pointing up at the storm clouds that were moving into position over Karakura Town.

"Huh, looks like Isshin has really cleaned himself up since last time, huh?" Tatsuki whispered to Orihime.

"After you girls stopped by to tell me about seeing Ichigo, I was a little hesitant to accept it. I thought you were simply grieving like I was, but when you told me he had become a Soul Reaper, that explained everything." Isshin said, surprising Tatsuki. "Oh, yeah, I have incredible senses. Sit down and I'll tell you all I know."

Orihime, Tatsuki and everyone else made their way into the lounge and sat down on the sofas and chairs. Chad was carrying Keigo, until he found a chair in the corner of the room and set him down in there.

"Alright, where should I begin?" Isshin said, scratching his beard. It was still scruffy, but at least the rest of him was somewhat tidy.

"How about you tell us who you are?" Tatsuki asked.

"Alright, I suppose that's fair enough. My real name is Isshin Shiba and I was the Captain of Squad Ten; one of the Thirteen Squads that form the Military Power of the Soul Society." Isshin began.

"What? A Captain? The Soul Society has a Military Force?" Mizuiro asked, putting his phone away for once.

"That's right. The Soul Reapers are, for the lack of a better term, an army that is trained to combat Hollows and protect the souls who reside in the Soul Society and any souls in the World of the Living. They are comprised of Thirteen Squads, known as the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and each has a Captain, Lieutenant and eighteen other seated Officers, and a further two hundred Soul Reapers that are unseated. The Captains are the most powerful soldiers within the Court Guard, and despite the Lieutenant being their Second Seat, there is a _huge_ difference in power between the two Officers." Isshin explained.

"So, you were one of the most powerful warriors the Soul Society had?" Mahana asked.

"Indeed, but, much like there is a huge a gap in power between a Captain and a Lieutenant, the gap in power between myself and my Captain was immense." Isshin said.

"Wait, _your_ Captain? Captains had Captains to report to? I thought you were the top Soul Reaper?" Chizuru said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but like an army has a General, the Soul Reapers have a Head Captain. He is the Captain of Squad One and the most powerful Soul Reaper in existence. Head Captain Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was the man who founded the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, well over a thousand years ago."

"Hold it! A thousand years?! Just how old is this guy?" Tatsuki asked.

"Err… Give or take? About twenty two hundred years old." Isshin stated, causing everyone in the room to stare at him, jaw hanging open.

"This guy's older than Jesus." Mizuiro said. "Y'know, if Jesus was actually real or something." He shrugged.

"Wait, so if this Head Captain guy is two thousand years old, how old are you?" Michiru asked.

"Honestly? Yeah, I'm about half that age." Isshin said with a laugh.

"WHAT?!" Everyone yelled, causing Keigo to wake up screaming.

"DON'T HURT ME, MOMMY!" Keigo looked around and was greatly confused. "Hey, why are we at Ichigo's house?"

"Ignore him." Tatsuki said, shaking her head.

"How can you be a thousand years old? You look like you're no older than forty-five." Mizuiro said, examining Isshin.

"Well, a soul ages differently than a human. We can live about twenty times longer than a normal human, which is why the concept of time means little to us. For instance, to become a Captain, one needs to learn something called Bankai. I'll explain what that is in a minute, but for now, would you like to guess how long a Soul Reaper usually trains for to achieve this? Ten years. That's on top of the six years of Soul Reaper training from the Academy and then several more years of working your way up the ranks. It's not uncommon for someone to train for a hundred years and still not be able to make Captain." Isshin said.

"Why is it so hard to become a Captain? It sounds like all you gotta do is train really hard, learn this 'Banzai' thing–" Tatsuki said.

"Bankai." Chad corrected her.

"Right, that – and you're ready. What's so tough about that?" She asked.

"Well, there's more to it than that, like are you able to lead a Squad of two hundred Soul Reapers, can you go on missions to the World of the Living that could very well end up killing you and things like that, but would you like to know the main reason why it's so hard to become a Captain?" Isshin asked, seeing everyone nod their heads. "It's because Captains don't die." Isshin said with a laugh.

"Huh? Are you saying you guys are immortal?" Ryō asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That seems logical, considering that Head Captain is over two thousand years old." Orihime helpfully pointed out.

"No, no, girls… By the time one becomes a Captain, they're so skilled that there's little that can actually pose a danger to them. For instance, the last time I was in the Soul Society, there were five Captains who have held that rank for as long as I had. The Captain of Squads One, Four, Six, Eight and Thirteen. I can only assume they are all still Captains too." Isshin said, muttering the last part to himself.

"Are there any specialised Squads in the Court Guard, or are they all just soldiers for killing Hollows?" Chad asked.

"Ah, a good question; the answer is yes, there are Squads that specialise in certain skills and talents. For instance, Squad Two specialises in stealth and assassination. Squad Four is the medical unit. Squad Eleven is the Squad for all the fighters and battle-loving souls. Squad Twelve is the Department of Research and Development, a relatively new specialisation; they are the scientific Squad that performs experiments and gathers data from Hollows and things of the like. Their Captain is a bit of a creep though… He kinda looks like a clown, and not the funny 'ha-ha' kind of one." Isshin explained.

"A clown? Why would they let a clown become a Captain?" Keigo said, looking confused.

"Well, he's not an actual clown, Keigo… He just looks like one; he has a face that is painted black and white, and has a full set of gold teeth." Isshin explained.

"So, how did you actually end up here? Uryū tells us you lost your powers trying to save your wife?" Mizuiro said, looking from Uryū to Isshin, who nodded his head in intrigue.

"Hmm, just how much did Ryūken tell you?" Isshin asked.

"Everything." Uryū replied bluntly.

"Alright then… Yes, I sacrificed my Soul Reaper powers to save Masaki from dying. It wasn't an easy choice for me to make; I had family and loved ones in the Soul Society but I could not, in good conscience, let a young woman die. Especially since it was she who saved me." Isshin said solemnly.

"You said that once we told you Ichigo had become a Soul Reaper, it explained everything. What did you mean by that?" Tatsuki asked, trying to change the scope of the discussion.

"Ah, that… Well, once Ichigo died, I started seeing spirits again. I thought I was just going crazy after what happened. Turns out my powers might have returned." Isshin said with a chuckle.

"Well, that's good, right?! You can go back to the Soul Society and be with your son!" Chizuru said with a smile.

"You seem to be forgetting about Karin and Yuzu. I can't just abandon them. Besides, I doubt I'll even be welcome there anymore." Isshin replied.

"Why not?" Ryō asked.

"Well, I did kinda abandon my position as Captain. That's grounds for imprisonment right there, if not execution. Yeah, I know, I know, they still do that kind of crap there…" Isshin shook his head.

"Wait, how do you know your powers have returned? I thought you said you lost them to save your wife? If she died nine years ago, why have they only returned now? Is there some kind of delay or whatever?" Mahana looked at Isshin, who shook his head again.

"No, it's because of Ichigo. Since Masaki was nearly killed by a Hollow, I gave up my powers to save her soul; which tethered our souls together, as Soul Reapers and Quincy are polar opposites, this was possible. We both lost out powers, but it was the only way to stabilise Masaki's soul from succumbing to a phenomenon known as 'Soul Suicide'. However, when Ichigo was born, a portion of my power and Masaki's power was obviously transferred to him, and while he was still alive, the link to Masaki's soul was still present in him. After he died, however, the link was broken and I assume that restored my power." Isshin explained, only to shrug his shoulders after the explanation.

"Wait a minute, if you're saying a portion of Masaki's power was transferred to Ichigo, then that means–" Uryū began.

"Yes, Ichigo has Quincy powers too." Isshin finished Uryū's sentence for him. The room was so quiet, everyone heard the first drops of rain hit the roof of the house.

"Wait, so Ichigo can do that cool magic bow thingy that you can do, Uryū?" Keigo asked, looking at the young Quincy.

"It's not magic, you idiot! It's manipulating the Reishi particles in the air to form a spirit weapon!" Uryū shouted.

"Sounds like magic to me…" Keigo grumbled in a huff.

"Alright, you guys, I think that about covers everything. Is there anything else you wanted to know?" Isshin asked, and looked surprised when they all nodded their heads.

"We want to know how to get in contact with Ichigo." They all said at once, surprising Isshin.

"Well, I _do_ have a way… But it's dangerous – _very_ dangerous. Just how badly do you want this?" He said.

"We'll do whatever it takes." Tatsuki said. Isshin sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Alright, let me rephrase what I just said; yes, I have a way of you guys being able to see Ichigo, but it could get you all killed. I'll ask again; how badly do you want this?" Isshin asked, his tone very serious.

"It doesn't matter if we die. We want to see Ichigo again." Keigo said, surprising everyone with his seriousness.

"Alright, but I need to know; do you have any powers of your own, not including Uryū, who's a Quincy." Isshin asked. Everyone shook their heads, causing him to sigh.

"Alright, then there's two ways we can do this. The first way is that we try and see if you have any powers buried deep within your soul that we can bring out, or…" Isshin trailed off, looking reluctant to finish his sentence.

"Or what, Isshin? C'mon, don't hold out on us." Michiru said.

"There is one more way, but you have to promise me none of you will get angry at the suggestion, ok?" He began, sighing when everyone nodded. "The first option is seeing if you have any spiritual powers within you, the second option… I kill you all and hope that your soul is strong enough to undergo the transformation into a Soul Reaper." Isshin finished, noticing everyone was looking at him in horror. "I figured you wouldn't like that. Guess it didn't help by how I said it, huh? I'll rephrase; the second option is to forcibly remove your soul from the body, sever the Chain of Fate, which would essentially be killing you, and hope you can become a Soul Reaper. If you can, then you'll be able to return to your bodies and still live normal lives."

"What happens if we _don't_ become Soul Reapers?" Mizuiro asked.

"Then your soul will begin to transform into a Hollow, and I'll have to eliminate you. Meaning you'll die." Isshin said seriously.

"I don't know about you guys, but I choose life. Sign me up for option one!" Keigo said, slamming his hand down on the coffee table.

"Keigo's stupid actions aside; I agree with him. I think we'll try the first option, and if that fails, then I'm game for becoming a Soul Reaper." Tatsuki said, everyone present nodding in agreement.

"Alright then, looks like we have a game plan. Meet me here tomorrow after school, and I'll start by telling you what'll be happening." Isshin said as he stood up, followed by everyone else.

"I need to ask you something in private." Uryū whispered, grabbing Isshin's arm as everyone made their way out into the hallway.

"Sure, Uryū, take a seat." Isshin gestured to an empty seat and the two men sat down. "What's up?"

"I need to know; that Captain you said looked like a clown – the Captain in charge of the Research and Development – has he ever experimented on anything _other than Hollows_?" Uryū asked, keeping his voice low, so no-one could eavesdrop.

"Yeah, he has. Hollows, Soul Reapers, Human Souls… There's nothing he hasn't experimented on." Isshin said with disgust.

"Do you know if he's ever experimented on Quincies?" Uryū asked, trying to keep a level tone of voice.

"Well, given the purge of the Quincies happened over two hundred years ago, it's unlikely, as he wasn't a Captain at the time. However, that's not to say he hasn't found one or two in his tenure. Uryū, why are you asking me this?" Isshin looked at the son of his best friend with concern.

"I never told this to anyone, as I was afraid they wouldn't believe me but… I was there when I saw my Grandfather die. A man in a white coat with a face that looked like a clown was the one who took his body away. Is that the same man who Captains your Research and Development Squad." Uryū whispered, his hands shaking as he spoke.

"Uryū… Yes, I'm afraid that sounds like him. I'm sorry, Uryū… I really am." Isshin said, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Don't be sorry. Just help me get into the Soul Society so I can avenge my Grandfather." Uryū said coldly, causing Isshin to look at him in surprise.

"Uryū, think about what you just said. You want my help to break into the Soul Society to _murder_ a Captain. I know what he did was inexcusable, but you're merely a boy, and he is a Soul Reaper Captain. You'll be marching to your own death, and I'm telling you now; it _won't_ be quick or painless." Isshin said seriously.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Uryū said.

"I'm going to have to talk to Ryūken about this. I can't simply allow his only son to walk into certain death." Isshin responded, standing up and going into the kitchen.

"Fine, but I can guarantee he won't care. I'm sure he'll simply scoff and tell you that I can do as I wish." Uryū replied, looking over at the man.

"I think you underestimate your father. Remember, I've known him for twenty years." Isshin stated, getting himself a glass of water, and offering one to Uryū, who declined.

"Listen, Uryū; I know your Grandfather was a proud Quincy, and I know that you take pride in the fact you are able to follow in his footsteps, but no-one's life should mean so much that you'd be willing to die for them." Isshin said with seriousness.

"Didn't you literally just say that if those guys want to see Ichigo again, then it's either 'figure out if you have powers or I'm going to have to kill you and _hopefully_ turn you into a Soul Reaper'?" Uryū looked at Isshin incredulously.

"Ok, that was a bad explanation on my part, and if they need to become Soul Reapers, then there are risks involved, but if they are successful they'll be able to return to their bodies and live normal lives. What you're proposing is just suicide. Ryūken would struggle to stand up to a Captain; do you really think a mere infant such as yourself will stand a chance?!" Isshin shouted, looking at the young Quincy.

"Then I'll train! Day and night for as long as it takes! You do whatever the hell it is you need to do with the rest of those guys, I'll train by myself!" Uryū shouted, glaring at the Doctor.

"If that is what you want, then fine. However, I must urge that you seek assistance from your father. He will be able to assist you in some way; more than what you can achieve by yourself. Now, I'm not saying you have to become best friends or anything like that, you can still train by yourself too, but I want you to go to Ryūken and have him train you as well. That is the only way I'm going to let you come along if we end up going to see Ichigo." Isshin said with a tone of finality.

Uryū wanted to protest, but knew Isshin wasn't going to budge. He simply sighed and nodded his head in agreement, before getting up and leaving. He stopped at the doorway, and looked back at his father's best friend.

"Do your daughters know about any of this?" Uryū asked, seeing Isshin lean back in his chair at the question.

"No… I suppose I'll have to tell them at some point, won't I?" Isshin said rhetorically.

"I think so… What are you going to do if they decide that they want to come along and see Ichigo with you guys?" Uryū remarked, and noticed Isshin tensed at this.

"Dammit, I didn't think of that… I guess I'll have to bring them along with us. I can't refuse to take them, but take all of Ichigo's friends. That wouldn't be fair." Isshin said, sighing.

"Are you really prepared to make them Soul Reapers?" Uryū questioned, leaning against the door frame.

"No. But I doubt I'll have a choice. However, I think I know of a safer way to make them Soul Reapers." Isshin commented, sitting up.

"Really? That's how you're going to play it? Make it safe for your kids but possibly kill Ichigo's friends? What's wrong with you?!" Uryū snapped.

"I can only do it that way because they are my kids! They have some part of my power within them. Your friends don't, so don't tell me I'm playing favourites. If all your friends had Soul Reaper powers, I'd do it this way instead, but they don't!" Isshin shouted, turning to look at Uryū.

"Alright, fine… I just hope you know what you're doing." Uryū remarked as he turned and walked out into the hallway.

"I do too, Uryū… I do too…" Isshin whispered.

* * *

"I see… Hmm, this is not the news I was hoping for, Lord Shiba." Lady Yukiko said with a sigh as she sat down on a bench in her garden.

"I'm sorry, my Lady, but at least we now know what we're up against." Ichigo replied, taking a seat next to her.

Captain Unohana's medical examination had returned some disturbing results. Not only was Kumoi severely beaten and stabbed to death, he was also cut with a sword and shot with a crossbow. However, that wasn't the most disturbing thing she had uncovered. She had extensively examined all the cuts and bruising over Kumoi's body hadn't been done by a single man. The bruises varied in size and the cuts were made with different blades and done by different people. Unohana came to the conclusion that there wasn't one killer on the loose; there were five.

"Knowing there is not one, but five people trying to kill you… It is an unsettling thought." Yukiko said with a half-smile.

"I can only imagine… However, you aren't on your own. You have the backing of all the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. You'll be perfectly safe." Ichigo said, trying to comfort the Shihōin Matriarch.

"Thank you, Lord Shiba. Your words and presence are of great comfort to me." Yukiko said with a warm smile.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant? You have a visitor." One of Yukiko's attendants arrived in the garden and informed Ichigo, who looked confused.

"A visitor? Do you know who they are?" Ichigo asked, looking suspicious.

"He claims to be your Captain. He says he's here to train you?" The attendant said, reading the note the Guard Captain had given to him.

"Oh, Captain Aizen is here already? Excellent. You may let him in." Yukiko said, causing the attendant to bow before leaving.

"Looks like it's time for me to learn Bankai and put a stop to these killers." Ichigo said, standing up and stretching.

"So, you really think you'll achieve Bankai in three days?" Yukiko asked, as she followed him into the manor.

"I really don't have much of a choice, my Lady. This is the only way I can gain enough power to keep you safe. If I can't achieve Bankai after this, then I'll never be able to achieve it." Ichigo said.

"Really? May I enquire as to why?" Yukiko asked.

"Captain Aizen tells me that this method puts my soul under massive strain. If I fail then my body will no longer be able to cope with learning Bankai ever again. I suppose it makes sense, I _am_ learning to achieve Bankai twelve hundred times faster than normal. When you put it like that, it sounds incredibly extreme." Ichigo explained.

"Yes, I believe it does. I hope you are successful. It'd be such a shame to see your career as a Soul Reaper stall because you couldn't achieve Bankai." Yukiko said with a sigh.

"Right… I hope it doesn't come to that…" Ichigo said for the second time in as many days.

"Ah, good day, Lieutenant. Lady Shihōin." Aizen greeted the two as they entered the foyer. They both noticed the peculiar humanoid thing standing next to him.

"Good day, Captain. What have you got there?" Ichigo asked, pointing at the object next to Aizen.

"Oh, this? This is how we're going to get you to achieve Bankai in three days." Aizen said with a smile.

"A cardboard cut-out of a person? I'm afraid I don't follow, Captain." Yukiko said, looking at said cut-out.

"Allow me to explain, my Lady. This device allows a Zanpakutō spirit to forcibly manifest in this world. Manifestation of one's Zanpakutō spirit is the most difficult part of learning Bankai. With this, all Ichigo has to do is stab it, and his Zanpakutō spirit will form in this world. After that, he will have three days to dominate the spirit and force it to teach him Bankai." Aizen explained as they walked down to the training area under the manor.

"Oh, I see… How interesting. Your Department of Research and Development sure do create some incredible things." Yukiko commented, nodding her head.

"I'll be sure to let Captain Kurotsuchi know you approve, my Lady." Aizen said as they reached the training field.

"Well, I'll leave you to your training, gentlemen. Good luck, Lord Shiba, and…" Yukiko leaned in and whispered in his ear. "I hope you remember our agreement." She said before giggling and bowed to the two men.

"What was that about, Ichigo?" Aizen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing… Can we just begin?" Ichigo responded, drawing his sword.

"Of course, just release your Zanpakutō and stab the figure." Aizen said.

Ichigo stood there and released his Zanpakutō, without uttering the release command.

' _Excellent. He can release without saying the command. I have a feeling this training will be greatly successful.'_ Aizen thought to himself with a smile on his face.

Ichigo took a step forward and pierced the cut-out with Zangetsu, releasing an explosion of spirit energy.

Ichigo's Bankai Training had officially begun.

* * *

 **A/N; Oh, yeah! Things are heating up! Ichigo begins his Bankai Training and his friends in the World of the Living have convinced Isshin to help them see him. We're reaching a cutting point, folks! Things are going to start getting exciting! Speaking of excitement; what do you guys think of me doing a lemon with Ichigo and Yukiko in this fanfic? It won't be a whole chapter, but I'll try to make is as detailed and exciting as I can. Never done it before, so it'll be a good experiment for later when Ichigo is with his girls in Las Noches. Your thoughts?**

 **I'm sure you're all surprised by how quickly I've updated, huh? Well, I had a couple days off work. I managed to finish the last Chapter and write this one in that timeframe. I hope I'll be able to do this every week, as I now get two days off in a row (I haven't had that in about 8-10 months, so that's nice for me), which means you should (hopefully, depending on how well things are flowing) get two chapters a week, one within a couple days of each other.**

 **Really don't know what to tell you about the title of this Chapter. I thought it sounds cool and it kinda relates to the content of the chapter, to a degree. Miyako becoming a Captain, Ichigo learning Bankai, Isshin training his friends to acquire spiritual powers in the World of the Living. That's my reasoning behind it.**

 **In regards to his friends, I'm not sure how to go about it. I'll probably just have Chad and Orihime have their powers from Canon and make the rest Soul Reapers. I know, I know, that's boring and lacks any kind of forethought, but I really don't know what kind of powers to give someone like Keigo. The guy's an idiot, so I don't know what would suit his personality. Maybe Mizuiro can be a Fullbringer like Chad… He's always on his phone… I don't know, I'll try think of something, but some of them are going to have to become Soul Reapers.**

 **Thank you to all who view my story and those who leave reviews, Favourite and/or Follow it. Your support means a lot to me. My Fanfic has reached the 10k Hit mark and the 100 Review mark, and I'm so happy! Thank you for making this story of mine a great success (in my eyes).  
**

 **Time for the reviews!**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; So, they call White 'Shiro' in Fanfics? Huh, never heard that. People call him Hichigo (Hollow Ichigo) and that fucks me off to no end. JUST CALL HIM FUCKING WHITE, YOU SHITCUNTS! I'm glad that my work isn't so predictable that you can still enjoy it and be surprised by it. I hope you have enjoyed this one as much as the rest. The thing with Nnoitra is pretty much to make everyone hate him even more and give people a reason to want to destroy him and see him destroyed. As for a sequel, yes; I have an idea for an ending and sequel. However, we're nowhere near such an event. So I won't be saying anything about it for a long time.**

 **Lurker-San; Thank you! I'm honoured that you say my fanfic is your favourite. I hope it stays that way.**

 **Lobisomen616; You're right; your assumptions just suck all the fun out of it. Mainly for you, but at least I still have you interested, I hope. Hahaha! Actually, you're wrong about your statement in regards to Aizen. He doesn't give a shit what happens to his Arrancar, so long as they fight for him and do as he commands. He probably wouldn't care if someone kills his Espada either, as he'll just replace them with others. You get the idea. I'm big on character development (as I'm sure you know), so you're half right in that sense. As for an overlap between the Bounts and the New Captain Arcs… Again, half right. I was actually going down a different path and I needed a sell point and having Kumoi die and Miyako become a Captain were just coincidental. I wanted to go with the unexpected. I hope you approve.**

 **DRADX; Good… Good… Hold on to that hatred. It'll make you come back for more and keep you interested in the story until someone finds out and confronts him… If anyone ever finds out… In regards to Ichigo's Bankai… I really don't know. I'm guessing it just augments his strength and taps into his Hollow Powers. I don't think it's Special Ability has been revealed and I doubt it ever will, considering Bleach is now finished. God, I hope Kubo makes a new series in a few years. The material is there for it!**

 **Naruto; Thanks again! I'm kinda wondering if I should do an IchigoxYukiko lemon, or just imply it. I'll see what everyone thinks. Don't forget, he's still dating Momo, so there's that. However, that does add 'drama' if he does have sex with Yukiko while he's dating Momo and a good story always has drama; especially the sexual kind.**

 **Nolifeking222; Bakkoto? No. That was a bit of a loaded arc and kinda ridiculous. Weapons that feed off the user's life force and can kill them? No thanks. I've got another idea in mind. That doesn't mean they won't be mentioned in the story; I just won't use them for anything.**

 **Colbet11; Allow me to help you with that; Ahem… 'Holy shitballscuntmotherfuck!' Does that work for you? Hahaha! I'm a man who loves Character Development; expect it to be in any and all fanfics I write. I also like to have veins running all over the place that link things together and open doors to new events, both Canon and my own. The more who hate Nnoitra for what he did, the better I feel about writing that scene. Honestly, I fucking hated writing it, but if people are angry and want vengeance on the lanky shitcunt, then good. I'll give you what you want. I love to keep people guessing and wondering what'll happen next. Especially when I'm keeping some elements of Canon in my story; people don't know when I'll slap them with something that I came up with. Keep an eye out every Wednesday and Friday; I hope to update then (Maybe Thursday and Saturday; I don't know where most of you are from). Actually, just Follow it if you haven't; you'll be notified immediately by e-mail when it's up. I'm just assuming that you haven't done so already. Hahaha, my bad!**

 **Zaraki Jaegerjaquez; I see, well thanks for clearing that up. I kinda see what you mean, but also it's kinda different. Some supported the Nazi Regime; others simply followed it because they had to. Yes, there were some who supported it and thought they were doing what was right and then they realised it was wrong. I really don't want people comparing my Fanfic or the characters and their actions/motivations to that of Hitler and his Nazis. Yes, Gin had his reasons and Aizen manipulated Kaname, but who's to say he's done the same to Ichigo? Maybe Ichigo agrees with Aizen and follows him because he thinks Aizen is right? Wanna know the answer? Read my Fanfic.**

 **Right, that's all from me this time. Oh, before I go; has anyone seen SnowyAssas1n or FindingProvidence recently? I know they're fans of this and I haven't heard from them in a while. I know Snowy's buried with work, but I don't know about FindingProvidence. Either way, I'm slightly concerned about them both. I hope you're both doing alright!**

 **Pastasaurus away!**


	15. The Hurt Locker

Chapter Fifteen – The Hurt Locker

"This is going to be harder that I first thought…" Isshin mumbled.

Isshin had been observing the spiritual capabilities of Ichigo's friends, and it wasn't going well. He had been able to successfully leave his Gigai after more than twenty years and, while it felt good to be 'free' again, it wasn't good to have to sit here and watch this. It was embarrassing.

He had gathered all of Ichigo's friends to begin their training in order to enter the Soul Society and see Ichigo again, and in order to keep things from getting too out of hand, he created a large Kidō Barrier that isolates spiritual pressure, making sure no-one else would be too adversely affected from the training. Before he began, he forced their souls out of their bodies, the Chain of Fate still connecting their souls to their bodies.

Isshin wanted to start out by examining their endurance under spiritual pressure, so he started by putting out the same amount of spiritual pressure that a Fifth Seat would possess. Tatsuki, Chad and Orihime were the only ones unaffected. Keigo, Mizuiro and Ryō felt a slight discomfort, but Isshin knew it wasn't major. Michiru, Mahana and Chizuru were finding it hard to breathe, so Isshin knew they would be the ones who needed his attention the most.

Out of curiosity, everyone wanted to know how it felt to be in the presence of a Captain, and while reluctant at first, Isshin finally gave in and unleashed everything he had. Unsurprisingly, it crushed Michiru, Mahana, Chizuru and even Mizuiro. What he didn't expect was Chad and Keigo to be the ones least affected by it.

"So… This is what it feels like to be in the presence of a Captain…?" Tatsuki said with some difficulty.

"It's incredible. I… I can't move." Orihime said, struggling to breathe.

"I'm warning you guys now; that's not even close to how powerful a Captain is. Don't forget, I've been inside a Gigai and without my powers for over twenty years. I'm out of practice and my powers are unrefined. Even then, there are Captains with even more powerful spiritual pressure than I do. There are at least three Captains who could crush you with only so much as a stare." Isshin said, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he stopped exerting his spiritual pressure.

The group collectively sighed in relief. They all managed to sit up and look at Isshin; they knew they had a lot of work to do.

"Well, we're not giving up!" Tatsuki said.

"Good, I should hope not. If Ichigo means as much to you as you claim, then you won't stop until you're ready." Isshin said, removing his Zanpakutō from his waist and putting it on the ground. "I want you all to come at me; give me your best shot."

"Huh?" Everyone said while looking at Isshin like he was insane.

"You heard me; I want you to all attack me at once." Isshin repeated.

"But, why? What would that achieve?" Chizuru asked.

"A Soul Reaper's arsenal isn't just limited to their Zanpakutō. The Stealth Force rely on hand-to-hand combat, commonly referred to as 'Hakuda'. Then there's Kidō, which is how I created this barrier. That being said, if you all attack me and I fight back, I have a feeling that your powers might be forced to the surface." Isshin explained.

"How?" Mizuiro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Simple; when the soul is in danger of being vanquished, it's forced to go into overdrive in order to survive. If you have any form of spiritual power, then the soul will actively try to force them out as a means to protect itself." Isshin explained. "Now, if there are no more questions, let's begin."

Everyone looked at each other and shrugged before surrounding Isshin (some more reluctant than others) and charged at him.

* * *

"Alright, I think that's it for today, Ichigo. Rest up, as we are going to continue this first thing tomorrow." Aizen said as Ichigo dropped his Zanpakutō.

His first day of Bankai training had been interesting, to say the least. Upon stabbing the training device, nothing happened for a few moments, confusing both men, but after a while, the cut-out exploded with black spirit energy, forcing Ichigo and Aizen to take a few steps back.

After the explosion, the sight that greeted the two stunned Ichigo and intrigued Aizen. They were looking at Ichigo, but with one difference; this Ichigo was pure white.

"Fascinating; this is your Zanpakutō Spirit… He's not very original, is he?" Aizen said with a smirk.

"No, this isn't Zangetsu! I don't know who the hell you are, but you have some nerve showing your face here!" Ichigo shouted, pointing at his white copy.

" **Hey, you were the one who summoned me here; I had no choice in the matter."** The copy said with a scowl.

 _It appears his Hollow Powers have melded with his Soul Reaper Powers… Could it really be possible that…?_ Aizen thought to himself as Ichigo and his copy traded petty insults.

"Ichigo, remember, we only have three days. You don't have time to be flinging insults like monkeys flinging their poo at each other." Aizen said with an unreadable expression.

"Alright, you imposter! Since you won't tell me where Zangetsu is, I'll just beat it out of you!" Ichigo said, reaching for his sword, but realising he no longer had it.

" **Oh, Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo… When will you realise that** _ **I AM ZANGETSU**_ **?! However, since stubbornness seems to be your main personality trait, let's not worry about that. If it makes it easier for you, call me 'White'."** Ichigo's doppelgänger said with a dark grin as he raised his hands and from out of nowhere, thousands of swords that looked like different forms of Zangetsu rained down from the sky, embedding themselves into the rocks all over the training field. **"Somewhere in this place is my true form. The rest are fakes that can't stand up to the task of cutting through flesh. Find the real sword and try to crush me. If you can do that, I'll teach you Bankai."**

"Is that all I have to do? Tch, I'll be able to finish this in no time at all!" Ichigo said with determination."

" **Then what are you waiting for?! BRING IT ON, MOTHERFUCKER!"** White roared as they both rushed off to grab a sword to begin their battle.

Once Captain Aizen had decided that they were finished for the day, Ichigo decided to go get cleaned up. He was covered in dirt and sweat and his robes were torn and slightly bloody.

As Ichigo was walking through the halls of the Shihōin Manor, he came across Yūshirō.

"Hey, Yūshirō. You lost?" Ichigo said with a smirk.

"Oh, hey Master Ichii! Nah, I'm just looking for Chi-Chiyo; we're playing hide and seek. It's not fair because she's really small and can hide almost anywhere." Yūshirō said with a pout. "How's the training going?"

"Ah, I see. Well, the training is… Going. Really not much else to say." Ichigo said with a shrug. "Anyway, I need to go get cleaned up. I'm sure your mother wouldn't appreciate me leaving blood and dirt all over the place. Oh, by the way; Rurichiyo is hiding behind the table down the hall."

"ICHIGO! That's so not cool!" Rurichiyo shouted, coming out from the table she was hiding behind.

"HA! I found you, Chi-Chiyo! Well, Master Ichii did, but it still counts! Now you're it! No peeking!" Yūshirō said with a big smile as he vanished with Flash Step.

"Why did you have to help him, Master Ichigo? You're a Lieutenant, that's not fair." Rurichiyo said with a scowl as she walked over to Ichigo.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I'll make it up to you; Yūshirō is hiding in the pantry in the kitchen." Ichigo said as he walked off and began to climb a flight of stairs.

"Tch, of course he is. Sometimes I think he cares more about food that he does me!" Rurichiyo said in annoyance, only to realise no-one had heard her. "And I'm talking to myself. Great."

"No, I heard you! Yūshirō cares for you too!" Ichigo called out from the stairway, causing Rurichiyo to go red and silently scream with joy as she ran off to find Yūshirō.

* * *

Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, a group of people were all gathered together in darkness, the fire from the torches they carried being their only source of light.

"The Master is growing impatient. How long are we going to sit here and wait to strike? Everything should be ready by now." One of them, a man, spoke.

"Hell if I know. I don't even know why we are waiting; this Lieutenant the Master seems interested in is weak!" Another man scoffed.

"It's not that kid he's interested in, you fool! He's interested in his power and _only_ his power!" A third man growled, slapping the second.

"Ow! You motherfu–" The second man yelled, before being interrupted.

"Enough!" The first man snapped. It was apparent that this man was the leader of the group. Gyōkaku Kumoi refused our demands and paid the price. The Bakkōtō, while powerful aren't our only means of getting what we want. The Shihōin have powerful artefacts as well. We'll simply take those, along with that Lieutenant. Though, I think the 'poetic messages' were a little much…" The first man said, eliciting a giggle from a fourth person; a woman.

"Oh, well you know me. I love having a little fun when I kill." She said with another giggle.

"Wow… Bitch, you fucked up. You know that?" The fifth person, another man said, shaking his head.

"Aww, are you bitter because I won't sleep with you?" She replied, still giggling.

"Aw, hell naw! You crazy! I ain't touching you with anything! You might rip my head off and eat it when we're done." The fourth man replied.

"Aww, you know me so well." The woman said with a wink.

"Christ, would you all knock it off?! The Master has his expectations set for us; we're to convince Yukiko Shihōin to hand over the Tenshiheisō, the Hōgu and Buku, and that's it. Should she refuse then, _and only then_ do we kill her. If we can, we'll try and take the Lieutenant – _alive_ – and return him to the Master." The first man said, outlining the plan for his four companions.

"So, we aren't allowed to kill anyone? Booooooring!" The second man moaned.

"Hey! That's my line! How do you expect me to get off if I can't feel the blood of my opponent splattering all over me? Mmm, it feels _so good_!" The woman moaned, rubbing her body with her hands.

"Damn, bitch! I told y'all she was crazy! Why none of y'all listen to me?!" The fourth man replied.

"Because you're all as crazy as each other. Let's get this over with." The first man said, turning and leaving the room they were gathered in, followed by the rest; all five of them going in a different direction.

* * *

"Is that all you've got? Come on, you'll never get stronger if _that_ is your best!" Isshin yelled, dodging a kick from Tatsuki.

Isshin had been fighting Tatsuki and her friends for over an hour and he wasn't feeling in sort of improvement from them. He decided that he wasn't trying hard enough, and decided to take it to the next level.

Chad stepped in and delivered a powerful strike towards Isshin's stomach, but it was easily blocked by the Captain. Raising two fingers, he placed them on Chad's chest and grinned at the large teen.

"Hadō Number One; Shō!" He whispered, and a small pulse of spirit energy hit Chad and sent him flying across the area.

"Hey! That's cheating! You're using magic again!" Chizuru shouted, pointing at Isshin.

"It's not magic, Chizuru, it's Kidō. Why is that so difficult to understand?" Ryō said as she stood up and got ready to fight again.

Before she could move, everyone was distracted by the sound of Keigo screaming as he charged at Isshin, in an attempt to attack him. Sighing, Isshin grabbed the boy's arm and flung him over his shoulder, with Keigo still screaming as he flew through the air.

"Well, that was embarrassing…" Mizuiro said, as he and the others sweatdropped at Keigo's actions.

"Don't just stand there! Fight! Michiru, Mahana; I still haven't seen what you girls can do!" Isshin shouted, directing everyone's attention back to the fight.

"Umm, I don't know, Mr. Kurosaki… I'm not really one for fighting." Michiru said, pressing her index fingers together and looking at the floor.

"If you're worried about getting hurt, don't be. I know what I'm doing." Isshin replied, encouraging her to fight.

"It's easy Michiru. You just gotta get used to it!" Ryō yelled as she ran in and tried kicking Isshin in the head.

Isshin ducked the attack easily, but it was her follow up that surprised him. As he went to ground, Ryō spun through the missed kick and tried punching Isshin. He was able to dodge easy enough, but the impact left a sizeable crater, at least a foot in diameter.

"Whoa! How did you do that, Ryō?!" Mizuiro asked, staring at the girl in shock.

"I… I don't know. But it felt incredible." She commented, cracking her knuckles.

"Aha! We've got progress! That punch was augmented with spirit energy. That's how you made that hole." Isshin explained.

"Huh… So all I have to do is figure out how to do that properly and this will get interesting!" Ryō said as she began to attack Isshin again.

"C'mon, let's go, Michiru!" Mahana said, rushing in to assist Ryō.

"I don't… I mean… Oh, alright." Michiru said as she reluctantly followed her friend.

"Ryō!" Mahana yelled, as she ran into the fray, causing Ryō to nod and stop attacking to kneel down and let Mahana use her as a springboard.

Leaping off her friend's back, she aimed a punch at Isshin, who nodded in approval while scratching his beard, before smirking and vanishing.

"Huh? Where did he go?" Mahana looked around and couldn't find him.

"Behind you." Isshin said, tapping her shoulder, causing her to cry out in shock.

"How can I fight him… He's too quick and I'm too weak. Aww, this sucks." Michiru said as she approached the fight, standing near the hole Ryō had made. As she watched the fight from her position, her left arm started to tingle.

"Here I come again, old man!" Tatsuki yelled as she ran in and tried to kick Isshin's legs out from underneath him. Isshin merely back-flipped through the air and sighed.

"Don't yell out when you're attacking, Tatsuki. The only reason you didn't end up like Keigo is because I don't want to hurt you." Isshin said.

"Oh, well aren't you a proper gentleman?" Tatsuki mocked with a smirk.

"I can easily change my mind, if you want." Isshin said with a grin of his own.

"Fine by me!" Tatsuki yelled, but instantly regretted it when Isshin used Flash Step and appeared right in front of her and punched her. Hard.

"Tatsuki!" Orihime yelled, worried for her best friend.

"What the hell, Isshin?!" Chizuru shouted in shock.

"I've decided that I've been going too easy on you guys. If you're not prepared to hit me with everything you've got… Then I'll simply kill you and hope you are strong enough to become a Soul Reaper." Isshin said as he walked over to where he left his Zanpakutō and attached it to his waist.

"I don't think he's kidding, you guys." Mizuiro said with a worried look.

"Then we fight back! That's what Ichigo would do; if anyone of us were in danger, he'd fight to protect us. It's time we do the same for each other!" Chad said as he ran at Isshin and unleashed a flurry of powerful strikes against the former Captain.

"Good! Someone is learning!" Isshin said with a grin as he dodged Chad's blows and kicked him back, stunning him temporarily.

"You're next." Isshin turned to Orihime, who looked like she might pee herself in terror.

"Isshin, c'mon! Orihime can't fight!" Tatsuki shouted from her spot on the ground.

"Then she had better learn…" Isshin said as he cracked his neck and walked over to Orihime.

Orihime began backtracking as Isshin walked towards her. She let out a yelp of fear as she realised she had reached the edge of barrier and realised she had nowhere else to go. She slid down to the floor and grabbed her legs, pulling them into her chest in a vain attempt to protect herself.

As Isshin stood over her he shook his head in disappointment and withdrew his Zanpakutō.

"A shame… And you claim my son meant something to you…" Isshin just looked at her with disappointment as he raised his sword over his head and brought it down on Orihime.

"ORIHIME!" Tatsuki screamed, as Isshin's blade hit it's mark.

"Oh my God…" Chizuru gasped and collapsed to the floor, tears forming in her eyes.

What no-one saw was that Isshin hadn't touched Orihime. He couldn't. As he raised his blade and brought it down, he saw Orihime's hairclips glow and one of them broke apart and formed a golden shield over Orihime, protecting her from the certain death-blow.

"Well, I'll be damned… Nice work Orihime. Looks like you've found your inner power!" Isshin said with a wide smile.

"Huh?" Orihime opened her eyes and saw Isshin was stood behind some kind of golden barrier.

A second later, the barrier dissipated and before her stood three little fairies. Almost immediately after that did her other hairclip glow and three more fairies materialised before her.

"Hiya, Orihime! It's good to finally meet you! I'm Shun'ō! I'm one of your Six Princess Shielding Flowers; otherwise known as Shun Shun Rikka!" The fairy said with a bright smile.

"Shun Shun Wha?" Orihime said, looking slightly dazed.

"Dammit, woman! Pay attention!" One of the fairies yelled, tugging on Orihime's hair.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Orihime cried, trying to get the angry fairy to let go.

"Tsubaki! Let her go!" Shun'ō yelled, looking rather worried.

"Alright, woman, listen up. We are your Shun Shun Rikka. I'm Tsubaki, that's Shun'ō, then there's Ayame, Hinagiku, Baigon and Lily." Tsubaki said as he pointed to each of the fairies. "We each make up one portion of your power…"

"Well, that went better than expected." Isshin said as he turned from Orihime and smiled.

"Idiot! What's the matter with you! You could have killed her!" Tatsuki yelled as she delivered a flying kick to Isshin's back, sending him to the ground in a heap.

"Come now, Tatsuki! You should know me well enough by now that I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you kids. Remember what I said, when the soul is at risk of being destroyed, it'll go into overdrive to make sure that doesn't happen. I just had to convince Orihime that I was trying to kill her. Look at the result!" Isshin explained pointing to Orihime, who was sat on the ground, now giggling with her fairies.

"Umm… Guys? Help?" Michiru spoke, getting everyone's attention. When they turned around they were shocked by what they saw…

* * *

"Alright, Ichigo; day two of your training. Are you ready?" Captain Aizen asked as he held the familiar cut out that was used the day before.

Ichigo said nothing as he released his Zanpakutō and stabbed the cut out once again. Just like the previous day, there was a massive explosion of spirit energy and as soon as it subsided, White was standing there.

" **Heh, you ready for round two? Fine by me!"** He shouted as he summoned more Zanpakutō of different shapes and sizes. **"So, you got up to sixty-seven yesterday, huh? Let's see if we can make that less today. Unless you'd rather me just kill you now?!"**

"Bring it…" Ichigo growled as the two vanished with Flash Step and reappeared with swords in their hands.

Unfortunately for Ichigo, his blade shattered upon impact. White merely smirked and attacked Ichigo again, who had no way to defend himself, so he just took off running with Flash Step until he found another sword.

" **That's right, Ichigo! Just keep running away from everything! Keep wasting time, that way you'll never learn Bankai and you'll always be a failure!"** White roared as he chased after Ichigo, sword raised above his head.

Gritting his teeth, Ichigo ran past another sword, picked it up and turned to meet White head on.

The sound of metal rang through the air as the two blades collided.

* * *

Rukia was walking down the halls of the Soul Reaper Academy feeling very confused. She had just finished class when one of her instructors had told her to go to the main assembly hall immediately. Not knowing the reason for such a request had left her with an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Why would they want me to go to the main assembly hall? They aren't expelling me, are they? No, that can't be it… My grades aren't exactly exceptional, but at least they're not as bad as some. I must've done something wrong. Oh, don't tell me that idiot Renji has done something stupid and has somehow dragged me into it!" Rukia said to herself as she walked towards the assembly hall, trying to figure out why she, of all people, would be needed there.

She slowly approached the doors to the assembly hall, each step taking longer and longer the closer she got. With her heart in her throat, she slowly put a hand on the door and pushed it open, only to see the hall was empty, save for two people who were stood in the half-light.

"Ah, yes… Your appearance is certainly uncanny. I can certainly see why you have your interests." One of the people spoke; Rukia immediately recognised the voice as belonging to Gengorō Ōnabara.

"I must admit, I am incredibly nervous. I've been wondering if she's hated me for what I did to her, or if she even knows who I am…" The other person responded; Rukia had no idea who it belonged to.

"Umm, hello? Is that you, Lead Instructor Ōnabara?" Rukia called out.

"Oh, Rukia! Yes, it's me. Please come over; there is someone who wants to meet you." Ōnabara said as he beckoned Rukia over.

As Rukia approached the two people, she managed to get a good look at the other person; the woman who's voice she didn't recognise. As soon as she saw the woman's face, she froze.

Rukia thought she was looking into some kind of mirror that portrayed her future self. The woman standing before her look _exactly_ like her, only a little older.

"Hello, Rukia. It's so nice to see you all grown up. I'm Hisana Kuchiki… Your sister." Hisana said with a warm smile, bowing to Rukia.

Rukia felt like she had been hit by a ton of bricks. All her life she thought she had been all alone with no real family, yet here she was, standing face to face with her sister, who bore the name 'Kuchiki' no less.

"You're my… Sister?" Rukia asked.

"Yes, I had no idea you were still alive, until I met your friend Ichigo and he told me you were here. I'm so happy to see you again." Hisana replied.

"Ichigo? How did you cross paths with him? You're a noblewoman, and he's just some scrub from the Rukon… Just like I am." Rukia said sadly.

"You're no scrub; you're my sister. We both arrived in the Rukon District almost one hundred and fifty years ago, when you were just a baby." Hisana said, putting a comforting hand on Rukia's shoulder.

"Well, what happened? Did we get separated from each other at some point, because I have no memory of you." Rukia responded, looking at Hisana.

"That's a long story, but I promise to tell you all about it back at home." Hisana said, looking at Rukia with another smile.

"Home? You mean…?" Rukia asked, before being interrupted.

"Yes, home. You are Hisana's sister, after all. That, by all rights, makes you family." Another voice spoke, the owner stepping out from the shadows.

"Oh, Sir Ginrei! It's an honour to see you here!" Ōnabara said, bowing to the Kuchiki Clan Head.

"Thank you, Ōnabara, I see the school is flourishing well under your direction. Head Captain Yamamoto made the right decision to install you as the Lead Instructor." Ginrei said as he walked over to the group.

"Grandfather? What are you doing here?" Hisana asked, rather surprised to see Ginrei at the Academy.

"Oh, I was looking for young Master Abarai. I am training him as a favour for Ichigo." Ginrei stated simply.

"Hold on, what? Renji is receiving training from a Captain because of a favour you owe Ichigo? I've been out of the loop for far too long…" Rukia sighed, dropping her head in despair.

"Well, if that's how you feel, perhaps you'd like to accompany Hisana back to the manor? I'm sure she's eager to tell you everything." Ginrei said with a small smile, noticing Hisana's smile.

"Wait, wait, wait… You're just going to accept me as your sister? Just like that? I'm not exactly 'Noblewoman Material'." Rukia said, raising an eyebrow.

"Neither was I when I met Byakuya, but it's not so hard once you get the hang of it." Hisana said; a hopeful look was in her eye.

"Indeed, and like I said, you're family. We don't turn our back on family for any reason. At least hear Hisana out, and if you don't like what you hear, you're free to leave and we won't trouble you again" Ginrei offered.

"That's right. Although, I hope it doesn't come to that." Hisana added.

"Hmm… I suppose it couldn't hurt to hear you out…" Rukia said, albeit a little hesitantly.

"Wonderful! Would you like to go now?" Hisana asked.

"I really shouldn't. I still have classes to attend to." Rukia replied.

"Oh, no need to worry about that, Rukia. We'll work that all out after you return." Ōnabara said with a nod.

"Well, alright. Lead the way." Rukia said as Hisana took her sister's hand for the first time in a very long time and lead her out of the assembly hall.

* * *

Ichigo and White crossed blades once more and again Ichigo's blade shattered upon impact.

" **Ha! Pathetic! That's blade number twenty-four, am I right? Keep this up and you'll never learn Bankai!"** White cackled.

"Shut up! I managed to last fifteen minutes with that one!" Ichigo responded as he picked up another blade that looked exactly like his Shikai.

" **Well, good for you. It still won't be enough. Tell me, are you actually listening to the weapons you pick up, or are you just picking one up and hoping for the best?"** White asked, stabbing his sword into the ground.

"What are you talking about? These are all fakes, none of them hold the real Zangetsu except one." Ichigo replied, looking at all the swords in the area.

" **True, but that isn't what I asked, so I'm going to assume you pick your weapon randomly. You see, Ichigo, there are many ways to achieve Bankai. I chose this method because it'll help you understand just how weak you are… Which means it shows how weak I am as well."** White explained, his face twisting into a look of bitterness when he called himself 'weak'.

"I don't understand. How will this method prove to you how weak you think I am?" Ichigo asked, not getting where his opponent was going with his explanation.

" **Don't you get it?! All of these Zanpakutō… They're not fakes, they're your** _ **weaknesses**_ **! Each blade represents a piece of you that makes you a weak person, and I can't have that. For every blade you pick up and I subsequently destroy, that's a piece of your weakness that I extinguish. If we had ten years, we would keep doing this until every weakness and every doubt you had was destroyed, but we don't. This way, you need to learn to look past your weaknesses and conquer your fears of failure and your doubts. If you fail to do this, you'll never learn Bankai."** White finished his explanation and picked up his Zanpakutō, which was styled similar to Ichigo's Shikai, but it had a 'Shark Tooth' blade edge.

While White was explaining his methods to Ichigo, Captain Aizen was watching from afar. He was amazed at what he had heard.

 _Incredible. It seems Ichigo's Zanpakutō Spirit is intent on making him a fearless warrior with no weakness. This could prove to be a very valuable asset indeed. Especially if my suspicions about his Inner Hollow are in fact correct._ Aizen thought to himself as he allowed a small smile to form on his face.

* * *

"Umm… Guys? Help?" Michiru spoke, getting everyone's attention. When they turned around they were shocked by what they saw.

In Michiru's left hand was a large bow comprised of spirit energy.

"What the…?! Michiru, how are you doing that?!" Chizuru removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"I… I don't know, but I can't control it!" Michiru cried out as the bow continued to grow.

Isshin looked at the scene before him and noticed why she couldn't control it. She was absorbing the reishi from the crater Ryō had made earlier.

"Isshin, what do we do?!" Tatsuki shouted, looking worried as Michiru fell to the ground, her face twisted in a look of pain.

Without a word, Isshin used Flash Step to cover the ground between him and Michiru, before taking her away from the slowly growing crater. His action stopped the bow from getting any bigger, but the amount of spirit energy she was exerting was too much for her body to handle so soon after unlocking her powers.

"Shit, she's going into shock! Michiru, listen to me! You need to discharge the spirit energy you've collected!" He shouted, kneeling down beside her.

"H-How do I do t-that?!" She replied, grimacing in pain as the bow started burning her arm.

"It's just like firing a normal bow and arrow, except you have to create your own arrow. Focus your free hand on the bow and slowly draw it back. Once you have an arrow, just let your hand go and fire it off!" Isshin explained.

"But… But where do I f-fire it?!" She explained, starting to panic as the bow got bigger and hotter.

"Just fire it into the air. The barrier I put up will destroy the projectile you discharge!" Isshin replied as Michiru did as she was told.

Ignoring the pain in her left arm, she aimed the bow up and pulled back on the string. Much to her surprise, a huge arrow had formed in the bow. She took a deep breath and released the arrow into the sky. As it rocketed through the air, it collided with Isshin's barrier and caused a massive explosion. After she fired the shot, the bow began to dispel and Michiru collapsed. Were it not for Isshin, she would have hit the ground.

Everyone had watched the scene before them unfold in shock and awe. None of them could even process what they had just witnessed.

"Is… Is Michiru ok?" Mahana asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"She'll be fine. She's just exerted a massive amount of spirit energy; levels which I'm sure she never knew she had. A bit of rest and she'll be fine." Isshin said, as he began to apply a Healing Kidō to Michiru's arm, to heal the burning she suffered.

"What the hell was that anyway? It just happened out of nowhere." Keigo asked, walking over next to Michiru and kneeled down.

"That's not uncommon; being in the presence of a Captain with no Spirit Restriction Seal is usually more than enough to influence the spiritual body into tapping into its powers. That's another reason why Orihime unlocked her powers." Isshin began to explain.

"What's a Spirit Restriction Seal?" Mizuiro asked.

"Ah, that's right, I forgot to mention that. When a Captain or Lieutenant Class Soul Reaper is sent to the World of the Living, a seal is placed upon their bodies to limit the amount of spirit energy they have access to. With the seal in place, they can only use twenty percent of their maximum power, so as not to influence people in the World of the Living. That's how you all were able to see spirits; Ichigo must have had a spiritual pressure level equivalent to that of a Lieutenant, or even a Captain, but the latter is highly doubtful." Isshin said, causing everyone to nod in understanding.

"So, because of your power, both Orihime and Michiru were able to unlock their powers?" Ryō asked.

"Not just Orihime and Michiru. You as well, Ryō." Isshin replied, looking at the tall girl.

"Me? What are you talking about?" Ryō said with a confused look.

"That punch that was augmented with spirit energy; the one that made that crater… Your strike managed to loosen the reishi bonds within the earth, allowing Michiru to absorb it." Isshin said, pointing to the crater Ryō had made, which was now three feet in diameter.

"Wait, the earth has reishi in it?" Mahana asked.

"Everything does. The earth, the sky, even water and plants. Everything has a 'soul' and anything that has a soul has reishi." Isshin said.

"So, what are you saying? That Michiru can break down things to create weapons. Isn't that like what Uryū does?" Mizuiro asked, trying to understand Michiru's power.

"That's exactly right. It would appear Michiru is a Quincy. Not only that, but you're one too, Ryō." Isshin said, looking right at Ryō who had a shocked look on her face.

"I'm a… A Quincy?" Ryō asked, looking stunned.

* * *

"Hmm, I think that's everything. Aside from meeting you, as that's only just happened now." Hisana summed up, looking at Rukia.

"Wow… That's quite the story." Rukia said, finishing off the last of her tea Hisana had made for her.

"Don't you believe me?" Hisana asked with a worried frown on her face.

"No, no! It's not that! It's just… Well, you've really come far in the last one hundred and fifty or so years. Going from a peasant in the Rukon to a noblewoman. I'm impressed." Rukia said with a smile on her face. "Though, it's still so weird how we look almost exactly alike. I wonder how many of your servants think I'm your daughter from some secret affair before you became a Kuchiki."

"Hmm, yes… The attendants do like to talk a lot. This will just add more fuel to the fire that the Elders need for them to push Byakuya to absolve our marriage and marry another woman of 'noble birth'." Hisana said sadly as she finished her cup of tea.

"What do you mean?" Rukia asked, looking at Hisana questioningly.

"Oh, it's the Kuchiki Elders. They were outraged when the found out I was the one Byakuya was going to marry. The deemed me 'unclean' as I had lived in the Rukon District with the rest of the 'lowborn scum'." Hisana shook her head sadly.

"What did Byakuya have to say about it?" Rukia asked.

"He was furious when they said that about me. I heard he ordered them all to be silent or they would find themselves living with the 'lowborn scum', as they had so eloquently put it. Of course, this frightened them so much that they simply kept quiet and didn't protest our marriage." Hisana explained.

"What about that old man? The one you called 'Grandfather'?" Rukia asked, remembering how Hisana had addressed Ginrei.

"Oh, you mean Sir Ginrei? No, he was incredibly supportive. He's always wanted his grandson to be happy and he knows that I am the woman who makes him so. Even he wants you to be a part of this family; there is nothing Sir Ginrei wouldn't do for his family." Hisana replied with a happy smile.

"He does seem like a nice man. Especially since he's willing to help out Renji as a favour to Ichigo. How about that, one of my friends from the Rukon turns out to be of noble birth and my sister marries into nobility. I guess that's a huge middle finger to the Elders, huh?" Rukia said with a large grin on her face.

"Indeed so. But I think the Shiba Clan Elders are terrified of Lady Kūkaku to say anything against her. Her temper is about as short as the fuses on her fireworks." Hisana chuckled.

"Well, we need to give these Kuchiki Elders a reason to be afraid. I'm not about to let some stuffy old people treat my sister like yesterday's trash!" Rukia shouted, slamming her hand on the table.

"We? Do… Do you mean that…?" Hisana asked, looking at Rukia.

"Yeah! If you think for one second I'm going to turn my back on my sister, then you're wrong! Old Man Kuchiki is right; family is everything!" Rukia responded with a bright smile.

"Oh, Rukia, that's wonderful news!" Hisana went over and hugged her sister. "Though, I do think we need to work on your etiquette a little. I don't think you should call Sir Ginrei 'Old Man Kuchiki'."

"Hmm, I suppose I could call him 'Grandfather', couldn't I? Or would it be 'Uncle'? I'm not sure how titles work with family…" Rukia said, putting a finger on her chin.

"Grandfather will be fine, I'm sure. Sir Ginrei isn't one to worry about titles in family. You are my sister, and that is enough for him. You'll be welcomed into this family like you've always been a part of it." Hisana assured her sister.

"What of the servants though? Won't they take an issue with me joining the family?" Rukia asked, looking a little worried.

"Some might, but most are very nice people. The ones who might take issue with it are too afraid of Master Daisuke to voice their opinions though." Hisana said with a small grin.

"Who's 'Master Daisuke'?" Rukia looked at Hisana with confusion.

"He's Sir Ginrei's most loyal attendant. He believes anything Sir Ginrei says to be law and if you oppose Sir Ginrei, then Master Daisuke will be sure to punish you for it. Ask Ichigo if you don't believe me." Hisana laughed as she remembered her first time meeting Ichigo.

"Well, I still have another five years until then. I'm still in the Academy, and he's already a Lieutenant." Rukia said with an impressed look on her face.

"Not necessarily. Since you are now a Kuchiki, you'll be graduating from the Academy immediately and be given and unseated position within a Squad." Hisana said, chuckling at Rukia's wide-eyed expression.

"Wh-what?! But why?" Rukia asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. I think it's just something Nobles do. Most, however, graduate relatively quickly; much like Sir Kaien and Master Ichigo." Hisana said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Oh, so it's 'Master Ichigo' now, huh?" Rukia said, raising her eyebrows at her sister several times.

"Yes, as he is a Shiba, he is to be addressed as such. However, he is much like Sir Kaien; neither really like the formality of titles. Neither does Lady Kūkaku. The only one who likes their title is Master Ganju, but that's because he's the sort of person who loves attention." Hisana stated, rolling her eyes at her statement about Ganju.

"I know the kind; pin-heads with a superiority complex? I think I've just found Renji a new best friend." Rukia said as she and her sister shared a giggle.

* * *

"Getsuga Tenshō!" Ichigo roared as he attempted to attack White with his signature move, only to have the sword explode as he swung it.

" **HA! Nice try, Ichigo! However, a weak little blade like that cannot hope to harness my full power! The only blade that can is–"** White laughed before Ichigo cut him off.

"Your true form. Yeah, yeah, I got it. Jesus, you just don't stop, do you?" Ichigo sighed. "Are you just going to stand there or are we going to finish this?"

" **Nah, I'm bored. We're done for the day."** White said, digging under his nails with a bored look on his face.

"What?! You can't be serious?! We're only just getting started!" Ichigo yelled, pointing a sword at White.

" **I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you were** _ **this**_ **stupid. We've been at this for fifteen hours. You need to stop. I'm not going to fight someone when they can barely stand. Where's the fun in that?!"** White shouted, causing Ichigo to stare at the being in front of him and drop his sword.

"F-Fifteen _hours_?! You're kidding." Ichigo whispered.

" **Do I look like I'm kidding, you idiot? Stop now. We can finish this tomorrow. I want you fresh and ready for our final battle tomorrow."** White said.

"Final battle? You mean because tomorrow is the last day I have to achieve Bankai?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow at White. He didn't like how he said 'Final Battle'.

" **Yes and no. Yes, tomorrow is the last day you have to achieve Bankai, but that's not the reason it'll be our final battle. Tomorrow, if you succeed, you'll be able to use Bankai. But if you lose…"** White took a step forward and appeared right in front of Ichigo, his golden eyes piercing Ichigo's soul. **"If you lose, I'm going to crush you and take over your body!"** White roared in laugher as Ichigo took a step back, slightly unnerved. **"Either way; this all ends tomorrow. Good luck, Ichigo…"** White smirked evilly at Ichigo before dissolving before him and turned back into the cut out he had been using for his training.

"Hey! Master Ichii! Where are you?!"

Ichigo could hear Yūshirō's voice calling him and as he turned around, he saw Yūshirō appear before him with Flash Step.

"Oh, there you are. Wow! You look horrible! What happened?" Yūshirō looked at Ichigo, who also looked down at himself.

Ichigo's robes were torn and covered in blood. He had dirt in his hair, on his hands and all over his body. Some of his cuts had turned black, where the blood and dirt had mixed together.

"Oh, this? It's a hazard of my training, I guess. I should go get cleaned up." Ichigo said as he began to walk to the exit.

"Wait! I know something that'll make you feel a hundred and ten percent!" Yūshirō exclaimed, causing Ichigo to stop and look at the young Shihōin.

"Go on…" Ichigo said.

"Come with me; it's better I show you!" Yūshirō said and, before Ichigo could say anything more, vanished with Flash Step.

Ichigo merely rolled his eyes and gave chase with a Flash Step of his own.

"Where are you taking me, exactly?" Ichigo asked as he caught up to Yūshirō.

"It's a secret!" Yūshirō responded.

Sighing, Ichigo simply followed Yūshirō until he arrived at his destination.

"Here we are!" Yūshirō said happily as he pointed to a large hot spring.

"It looks like a hot spring?" Ichigo said as he looked at Yūshirō with confusion.

"It is! But it's not just any hot spring; it's a magical one!" Yūshirō responded with a large smile on his face.

"Magical? Uh… Huh…" Ichigo looked sceptically at the young boy.

"Yeah! It's magical because it heals all your wounds and it'll make you feel really strong again. Sister would use it all the time; that's how she was strong enough to become a Captain!" Yūshirō explained.

"Alright… I'll take your word for it." Ichigo shrugged.

"Goody! I'll see you later, Master Ichii! I'm sure Chi-Chiyo is looking for me." Yūshirō scratched his chin before leaving with Flash Step.

"That kid has too much energy…" Ichigo sighed and shook his head as he removed his torn, dirty, and bloody robe and sunk down into the hot spring.

Ichigo could feel the water stinging his cuts and when he removed his arms from the water, he saw the wounds rapidly healing and close up, as if they had never been inflicted.

"Wow! Yūshirō was right; this hot spring _is_ magic! I wonder what would happen if I drink it…" Ichigo said to himself as he scooped up a handful of water and began to drink it.

"It's impressive, isn't it? It's a Shihōin Family secret. Yūshirō must trust you a great deal to show you this place. But I would have done the same." A familiar voice whispered from behind him, causing Ichigo to spit out all the water in his mouth.

Turning around, he was greeted by the face of Yukiko, who was sporting a large smirk at Ichigo's reaction.

"Lady Yukiko?! Wh-What are you doing here?!" Ichigo shouted in shock.

"I always come here. This place is where I like to relax after a stressful day." Yukiko responded nonchalantly, as she swirled her fingers around in the water.

"Oh, I see. Sorry, you kinda took me by surprise. It's been a long day." Ichigo sighed, as he leaned back against the edge of the hot spring.

"Yes, you've been down here almost all day. How goes the training?" Yukiko asked as she looked down at Ichigo.

"Well, tomorrow is my final day. I need to learn Bankai by then, otherwise…" Ichigo trailed off.

"Otherwise you'll never be able to learn it, will you?" Yukiko finished for him.

"Yeah…" Ichigo responded. He didn't want to tell her what White had said about taking over his body.

"Well, you've just got to make sure you can do it before time runs out. I know you can do it, Lord Shiba." Yukiko said as she put her hands on Ichigo's shoulders.

"I hope I can. He seems intent on breaking down all my weaknesses first. It's as if he wants me to become a heartless warrior." Ichigo shook his head.

"Who? You're Zanpakutō Spirit?" Yukiko asked, as she began to gently rub Ichigo's shoulders.

"Yes… Well, no… I don't know. He says he is, but…" Ichigo sighed as Yukiko continued to rub his shoulders.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"I don't know, I'm just confused about my Zanpakutō Spirit. When I first met Zangetsu, he was some old guy with a long cloak, long hair and shades. Now it's like he's changed." Ichigo explained.

"Changed? I didn't think Zanpakutō Spirits could do that. Well, not without being subjected to the transformation from the Bankai Release, and since you don't have that yet…" Yukiko said.

"Yeah, I don't claim to understand it. It's just the transformation is odd. He's gone from an old man with shades to a white version of me." Ichigo said, causing Yukiko to stop rubbing Ichigo's shoulders.

"A white version of you? That's not really original, is it?" Yukiko said.

"That's what Captain Aizen said. I find it hard to believe he's actually my Zanpakutō Spirit though. He seems more motivated by power and primal instinct. Can you keep doing that? It was nice." Ichigo said absentmindedly, causing Yukiko to smirk.

"Would you mind if I join you? I came down here to use the hot spring, after all…" She said as she stood up.

"Yeah, I don't mind. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to about something other than my training." Ichigo replied, casually waving a hand.

With a smile, Yukiko removed her robe and slipped down into the water next to Ichigo and leaned back against the side.

"Ahhh! I love this hot spring. It's just incredible." Yukiko sighed as she closed her eyes and began to gently kick her legs out in front of her.

"Yeah, it's certainly something to behold. How is the water so hot?" Ichigo asked as he turned to look at Yukiko.

While Yukiko was submerged in water up to her shoulders, Ichigo was still able to see Yukiko's body underwater, albeit not clearly. He knew she was completely naked, yet he didn't really care.

"This cavern runs over a natural underground pressure current. The heat from that current flows right over this pool, creating a hot spring. It was a happy coincidence that we decided to place the pool here, otherwise we'd have to maintain its heat manually." Yukiko explained as she opened one eye and saw Ichigo was staring at her. She grinned when he noticed and turned away quickly. "I do believe I was in the middle of something. Come here…" She purred as she gently grabbed Ichigo's hand and pulled him over towards her.

Ichigo put up no resistance as she pulled him over. He was too tired from his training and he remembered what Captain Aizen had told him about Yukiko Shihōin and the word 'No'.

 _I'd hate for your career as a Soul Reaper to come to a grinding halt because you told her 'No'._

The words his Captain had imparted on him had rung in his mind the moment Yukiko put her hands on him. He knew that refusing the demands of the Shihōin Queen would be the equivalent of a death sentence for his time as a Soul Reaper, but he still wasn't sure if he would be willing to go along with things, should they escalate.

Yukiko pulled Ichigo over to her and pressed her body against his back. Ichigo stiffened when he felt Yukiko's large breasts pressed against his back, but he relaxed when she started rubbing his shoulders again.

"Just relax, Ichigo… You need to be fully rested for tomorrow, and I think I can help you with that…" Yukiko whispered, as she stopped rubbing Ichigo's shoulders and moved her arms down to his waist and began to kiss his neck softly.

Ichigo said nothing, only sighing as he let Yukiko continue to kiss him and run her hands over his body…

* * *

For the past hour, Isshin had been attending to Michiru, who was still unconscious, while everyone else took a break from training. Ryō was sat alone, trying to process what she had learned about herself.

 _How can I be a Quincy? It doesn't make any sense… But there's no way Dr. Kurosaki would lie to me, right?_ She thought to herself before her thoughts were interrupted by Mahana.

"Ryō? Are you alright?" Mahana asked as she sat down next to her friend.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about Michiru…" Ryō replied as she looked over to where Isshin had set the girl down and was administering a form of Medical Kidō on her.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Dr. Kurosaki seems to know what he's doing. How are you doing? It must be hard trying to come to grips with learning about being a Quincy." Mahana stated, earning a nod from Ryō.

"Yeah, it's definitely a shock. The biggest shock for me is why didn't my parents ever tell me? From what Uryū told us, you can't just magically become one; it's passed down from parent to child, which means one of my parents had to be a Quincy." Ryō replied with a sigh.

"Actually, it's very probable that both your parents are Quincies." Isshin spoke up, causing Mahana and Ryō to look over at him.

"How did you even hear that?!" Mahana asked in shock.

"Did you forget, I have incredibly sharp senses. I can hear Keigo's stomach growling from here, and he's fifty feet away." Isshin said with a smirk, before realising something. "Wait, Keigo! Are you hungry?" Isshin shouted, causing Keigo to look up.

"Huh? Yeah, I am. Why's that a big deal?" Keigo questioned, putting a hand on his stomach.

"Souls don't get hungry unless they exert a large amount of spirit energy. Dammit, if I wasn't needed to heal Michiru, then I could try and force your powers out…" Isshin mumbled.

"I can heal Michiru, if you want?" Orihime stood up and walked over to Isshin.

"Really?" Isshin raised an eyebrow at Orihime.

"Mhmm, watch!" Orihime knelt down in front of Michiru and closed her eyes. "Shun'ō. Ayame." She whispered.

As soon as she called the names of two of her fairies, her hairclips glowed and broke apart as both Shun'ō and Ayame materialised before her.

"You called, Orihime?" Shun'ō asked with a smile.

"Yes, I was hoping you could heal my friend, Michiru." Orihime said, pointing to her unconscious friend.

"Of course! That's what we're here for! Just recite our Kotodama and we can begin!" Ayame said with a nod.

"Oh, right… Ahem… Sōten Kisshun; I Reject!" Orihime called out and watched as Shun'ō and Ayame folded themselves into small, bird-like objects and created a golden barrier that flowed between them and covered Michiru.

"Huh… Interesting. A Shield ability and a Healing ability. You could be quite handy as a supporting participant in battle, Orihime." Isshin said with a smile as he stood up and put his hand on his sword. "Oi, Keigo! Let's get going!"

"Oh, crap! Mizuiro!" Keigo whispered as he looked at his friend. "Tag in?"

"Tch, no way, Mr. Asano. This is _your_ fight." Mizuiro said as he lay down and looked at the sky. Being in soul form, he couldn't use his phone, much to his disappointment.

"I don't wanna fight! Chad, old pal! You wanna take this one for me?" Keigo asked, starting to sound desperate.

"Sorry, Keigo, but you'll never be able to unlock your powers if you don't fight for yourself." Chad said as Keigo looked like he had turned to stone.

"Oh, c'mon Chad! I thought you said you'd use your monster strength to help others?! Well, I need help!" Keigo pleaded, throwing himself at Chad's feet.

"Don't be scared, Keigo! I won't hurt you… Much." Isshin spoke as Keigo felt a hand grab his foot.

"Oh, no…" Keigo whispered in fear as Keigo felt himself get thrown through the air and crash into the dirt on the other side of the training area.

"Don't just scream, Keigo! Stand up and fight!" Isshin called out as he watched Keigo stand up.

"Fight…" Keigo repeated. "Must fight…"

Isshin looked at Keigo with a confused look. Once the boy had stood up, he started acting like he was a robot.

"I think you threw him a little too hard, Isshin. You've gone and broken him." Mizuiro chuckled.

"I didn't throw him _that_ hard! He's still alive!" Isshin said defiantly. "Keigo! Are you alright, son?"

"Must fight… Must… _Eliminate threat_." Keigo said in monotone as he looked up at Isshin with an empty stare, before moving and shocking Isshin, Chad, and Mizuiro.

In a single step, Keigo had covered the distance between himself and Isshin.

"What the hell?! Did he just – oof!" Isshin grunted as Keigo slammed a fist into his gut, sending the Captain flying back into the barrier.

"Jesus! Keigo, what was that for?!" Tatsuki yelled as she watched what was happening.

"Eliminate threat…" Keigo repeated in monotone as Isshin stood up.

"Damn, that was one hell of a punch. Where did he get so much strength from?" Isshin thought aloud as he kept an eye on Keigo.

Before he could even take another step, Isshin felt a heavy pain in the back of his head as he was sent flying once again.

"Keigo! What are you doing?! That's too much!" Mizuiro yelled as he watched Keigo vanish and appear behind Isshin and kick him in the back of the head.

"Must eliminate threat…" Keigo said, turning his attention to Mizuiro.

"Whoa! Hold on, Keigo! It's me, Mizuiro! What are you doing?!" Mizuiro yelled, getting up and taking a step backwards as Keigo walked towards him.

"Argh, dammit. Not only does he have incredible strength, but he can use Flash Step too?! What the hell is this kid?" Isshin groaned as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Isshin! You need to stop Keigo!" Tatsuki yelled, causing Isshin to look over at Keigo.

"K-Keigo… Wh-What are… You…?" Mizuiro struggled to speak, as Keigo had grabbed the boy by the throat and began to choke him.

"Threat… Eliminate… Eliminate all threats." Keigo said staring at his friend with an empty look in his eyes.

"Keigo, let Mizuiro go!" Chad shouted, as he tried to break the stranglehold Keigo had on Mizuiro.

Keigo simply swatted Chad away before dropping Mizuiro and turned his attention to the Mexican Giant.

"Bakudō Number One; Sai!" Isshin yelled out, causing Keigo's arms to fold up behind his back and collapse to his knees.

"Chad, are you alright?!" Tatsuki yelled as she ran over to Chad.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. What about Mizuiro?" Chad asked as they looked over to Mizuiro, who was crawling on the ground, choking and spluttering.

"Must eliminate…" Keigo repeated as he jerked his arms and shattered the Kidō Spell Isshin had placed on him before charging towards Tatsuki.

"Keigo, stop!" Isshin yelled, but it was in vain.

Keigo appeared before Tatsuki and grabbed her arm and threw her over his shoulder with incredible strength. Tatsuki hit the ground hard and rolled until she was stopped by the Kidō Barrier; she was out cold.

"I'm sorry, Keigo… But I must stop you." Chad said as he clenched his hand into a fist and smashed it into Keigo's stomach.

To Chad's horror, Keigo barely flinched at the powerful strike and soon, he too was sent flying through the air, thanks to Keigo.

"Bakudō Number Four; Hainawa!" Isshin shouted as he pointed two fingers at Keigo and fired a glowing, yellow rope towards Keigo, which wrapped around his torso, binding his arms as well.

"Bakudō Number Sixty-One; Rikujōkōrō!" Isshin used another Binding Kidō and Keigo was trapped by six bars of light that surrounded his stomach, holding him in place. Isshin, however, wasn't finished.

"Bakudō Number Ninety-Nine Part One; Kin!" Isshin shouted as he held his palms out before bringing them together and intertwining his index and middle fingers as a sheet of black fabric in the shape of an 'X' smashed into Keigo's back, being locked in place by huge metal slabs.

"Whoaaaa… What just happened?" Chizuru asked, looking at the now trapped Keigo and the panting Isshin.

"That… That should hold him. If it doesn't… Well, we're fucked." Isshin sighed as he wiped some sweat off his forehead.

"Must… Eliminate… All threats." Keigo said in an emotionless voice as he struggled against his bindings.

"Oh, no… I think he might break free!" Chizuru shouted, pointing at the black fabric that was starting to tear.

"Shit!" Isshin closed the gap between him and Keigo, before putting a hand in front of Keigo's face, causing the boy's eyes to roll to the back of his head and pass out.

"What was that?" Ryō asked, as she walked over to the body of the now unconscious Keigo.

"Inemuri. A Kidō Spell that incapacitates the target. Whooo! That took a lot out of me!" Isshin sighed as he collapsed to the floor and looked up, still panting.

"What about Keigo? What happened to him?" Chad asked as he walked over to Isshin with Tatsuki in his arms. She was still unconscious.

"I don't know, but he was able to use Flash Step and all of his attacks were augmented by spirit energy. If they weren't, they'd've done nothing to me." Isshin explained as he sat up.

"So, are you saying Keigo is a Quincy too? It sounds like his attacks are similar to mine." Ryō said, causing Isshin to shake his head.

"No, that's no Quincy power I've ever seen. You were still in control of your movements when you attacked, Keigo wasn't. I don't know what power he holds, but it seems like he exhibits superhuman strength when under duress." Isshin stated. "Either way, we need to keep an eye on him while he learns to control his power; we can't keep putting you guys at risk."

"Wh-what happened? Where am I?" A voice spoke, drawing everyone's attention towards Orihime. Michiru had just woken up.

"Michiru! You're ok!" Mahana yelled in excitement as she rushed over to her friend.

"Yeah, I'm alright. What happened? Why is Keigo like that?" Michiru questioned as she pointed to the unconscious form of Keigo, who was still held in place by Isshin's Kidō.

"Keigo just lost it and went on a rampage. He was able to overpower Dr. Kurosaki with ease!" Chizuru explained.

"Hey! He was only able to do that because I haven't had my powers for over twenty years! If I didn't lose them, he'd be no match for me…" Isshin replied indignantly.

"Well, he was still really strong…" Chizuru stated.

"Yeah, I reckon he'd give a Lieutenant a good run for their money, provided he can control his power…" Isshin said as he looked over at Keigo. "How are you feeling, Michiru?"

"I'm fine… I just can't remember what happened. Last thing I remember is my left arm began to tingle and a huge bow formed on it." Michiru explained.

"Hmm, yes… Well, I'm going to be sending you over to Ryūken. You and Ryō, because he'll be able to better train you than I." Isshin said.

"Why? Why would Dr. Ishida be better at training me and Ryō?" Michiru asked, a worried look on her face.

"We're both Quincies, Michiru. Just like Uryū and Dr. Ishida." Ryō stated.

"But… Dr. Ishida is scary, plus he sounds like he hates Quincies, despite being one." Michiru said, her voice a little more than a whisper.

"Don't worry, Michiru, Ryūken might be intimidating, but he'll be the best person to teach you. I only know so much because of my history with him an because of Masaki. I could only teach you the basics. He could teach you so much more." Isshin said, putting a hand on Michiru's shoulder.

"It'll be alright, Michiru; I'll be with you and so will Uryū. You won't be alone." Ryō said, trying to comfort her friend.

"Well, alright… I guess I have no choice." Michiru sighed.

"Very good. Meanwhile, I'll be trying to get these guys to unlock whatever powers they might have. However, if there's no change within a month, I'm going to have to make you Soul Reapers." Isshin said as he looked at Chad, Chizuru, Mahana, Mizuiro and Tatsuki.

All four, besides Tatsuki; who was still unconscious, all exchanged a worried look. This was going to be a long month.

* * *

"Are you all ready?" A mysterious man asked his five faithful followers who had gathered before him.

"Yes, Master. We are all ready and prepared. Yukiko Shihōin will hand over the gifts from the Gods her family protects, or she will pay with her life." The leader of the five answered.

"And the Squad Five Lieutenant?" The Master asked.

"We will bring him back to you, or die trying, my Lord." The man responded.

"Good… There is something dark and powerful within that boy… I _will_ have that power for myself!" The Master declared, clenching his hand into a fist.

"When you are ready, my Lord, we shall confront Yukiko Shihōin about the artefacts she holds." The group leader responded.

"Good… I believe it is time we return to the Soul Society and claim what is ours. For a thousand years, the Ryōdoji Clan have lived like animals, but no more! I, Ganryū Ryōdoji, will claim what was taken from my family all those years ago…" The Master shouted before opening a portal from their lair in the Dangai and out into the Soul Society. "I want you by my side, Riyan, when I take back my family's seat of power. You have been loyal to me from the beginning." Ganryū said as he looked to the leader of the group.

"You honour me, my Lord." Riyan said with a bow.

"Jai, Mue, Benin, Bau… You will all be greatly rewarded when we succeed." Ganryū stated, looking at the other four members of the group.

"Thank you, Master." They all responded, while bowing in unison.

"Come… The Soul Society awaits…" Ganryū said as he stepped through the portal.

* * *

As Ganryū stepped out of the portal, he and his followers found themselves in the sky above the Shihōin Manor. What he didn't expect, however, was to find someone waiting for him.

"So, I'm guessing it was you guys who killed Master Kumoi, huh?" Ichigo Kurosaki stood before Ganryū and his group, the released form of Zangetsu hanging over his shoulder.

"What?! How the hell did this bastard know we were coming?!" Mue shouted, enraged that they had encountered resistance so soon.

"How did I know? Don't open a portal in the Soul Society in broad daylight. Everyone can see it." Ichigo stated.

"Hmph… It matters little whether or not we are spotted. Hand over the Godly Artefacts of the Shihōin Family and come with us, or we will raze the Soul Society and all who get in our way." Ganryū stated drawing his sword and pointing it at Ichigo.

"Tch… You guys have _no idea_ what you're up against. As soon as you opened that portal, we knew you were coming. Captain Kurotsuchi might be a dick, but he's nothing short of a genius." Ichigo stated.

"Oh, really? Do tell how this 'Captain Kurotsuchi' knew we were coming." Ganryū commented.

"Simple, he deduced the people who killed Master Kumoi were able to slip past the Stealth Force, commit the murder, and leave unnoticed, must have used portals. So, he simply set up locator beacons around the Shihōin Manor that would alert him to such phenomena occurring. You really shot yourselves in the foot with the message you left me, telling me who your next target was." Ichigo explained, causing Ganryū's followers to look at Benin with a glare.

"Oh, how was I supposed to know they had some nerds who were good with technology? It's been a thousand years!" Benin shouted, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

"Like I said, it matters not. Stand down, Ichigo Kurosaki, and I will spare you from a painful death." Ganryū demanded.

"I think I'm going to decline your most gracious offer." Ichigo replied with sarcasm.

"Then we shall simply kill you and be done with it!" Mue roared.

"Hush, Mue!" Ganryū snapped. "You cannot hope to best all of us, boy! You might have power, but you're still just an infant!"

"Who said anything about defeating you? I'm simply here to keep you all occupied until back-up arrives." Ichigo stated as he raised his Zanpakutō in front of him and pointed it at Ganryū.

* * *

" _ **Time's running out, Ichigo! SHOW ME WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!"**_ _White roared as he chased Ichigo through the training area under the Shihōin Manor._

Damn it! He's right… I don't have a lot of time left. Where are you, Zangetsu? _Ichigo thought to himself as he tried to listen out for his_ true _Zanpakutō._

 _He kept running, dodging each one of White's attacks, picking up a false Zangetsu to block the strikes. He was starting to get the hang of determining which were fakes, as none resonated with his soul. They all felt… Empty._

"Ichigo…" _A familiar voice called out to him, causing him to stop in his tracks._

" _Zangetsu… Is that you?" Ichigo whispered, making White also come grinding to a halt._

" _ **WHAT?! NO! You shouldn't be here, you old bastard! I AM IN CONTROL NOW!"**_ _White screeched as he too heard the voice of the Old Man._

"Ichigo, I don't have much time. Soon, he will take over again, and you will lose any hope of attaining Bankai. Listen to my voice, feel it within the depths of your soul. Find the real Zangetsu and crush your opponent!" _The Old Man spoke, as Ichigo closed his eyes and focused on his words._

" _ **NO! GO AWAY! I'M IN CONTROL, DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"**_ _White screamed as he grabbed his head and tried to fight the Old Man for dominion._

Where are you, Zangetsu…? _Ichigo thought to himself as he scanned the battlefield, looking for the real Zangetsu._

 _With his eyes still closed, Ichigo began to see the world in black, with all the swords becoming white. Focussing, he scanned the entire area, looking for the only weapon he could use to defeat White._

 _Every sword he saw was white. Empty. Trying to keep calm, he kept scanning the battlefield for his target._

That's it! _Ichigo saw a sword that instead of being white, was glowing bright blue. He knew that blade was the true form of Zangetsu._

 _He opened his eyes and made his way over to it. The blade itself was huge; bigger than his Shikai and was an all-white blade with a black centre. The weapon itself had no guard, but part of the blade was folded and angled back over the handle, to act as a makeshift guard. At the end of the hilt was a pure black chain that was almost as long as the Zanpakutō itself._

 _As soon as Ichigo touched the handle, he felt an explosion of power erupt within him. Turning to face White, who had managed to regain control, he looked at his opponent with a dark grin as he uttered two words._

" _Getsuga… Tenshō!" Ichigo swung the blade and a massive Getsuga exploded from the blade, ripping up the landscape, creating a massive fissure and hitting White dead on._

 _When the explosion subsided, Ichigo walked over to White and stabbed the sword into the ground right next to his opponent's face._

" _Well, well… Would you look at that? Looks like I found the real Zangetsu." Ichigo stated as he crouched down over White._

" _ **Tch… Whatever. You won. Are you happy now? Since you were able to beat me, I'll teach you what you want to know."**_ _White coughed before grabbing Ichigo's robe and glaring at him._ _ **"You might have won this round, but that doesn't mean you've won the war! If anything, this benefits me, as you're now much stronger and that means I'll have less work to do when I take over your body!"**_ _White forced out an evil laugh as he dissolved, his essence entering the blade Ichigo had used to defeat him._

 _Knowing what had happened, Ichigo touched the sword and was flooded with the power and the secrets he needed to get stronger…_

* * *

" **BANKAI!"**

* * *

 **A/N; Well, well, well… Things certainly took an interesting turn, didn't they? The villains revealed themselves to be the exiled Ryōdoji Clan, Ichigo achieved Bankai and his friends in the World of the Living received some shocking revelations. Not to mention Rukia and Hisana have finally been reunited and are back together! What a nice Chapter, right?**

 **Well, some of you might be a** _ **little**_ **disappointed (or a lot) by the fact there was no IchigoxYukiko lemon, especially since I was teasing it in this Chapter. Since I've had no objections (yet), I don't see why it can't happen. So, keep an eye out for that.**

 **Alright, since Michiru and Ryō are Quincies (by my own design), their power doesn't need to be explained, but I think Keigo's does. If you haven't figured it out yet, it's the same power young Ururu has. Some people claim she's a Mod Soul created by Kisuke (similar to Nemu in Mayuri's 'Nemuri Project'), but I don't think that's true. I think she's a regular Human who, in the presence of immense spiritual energy, shuts down all mental cognition and attains superhuman strength and speed. That's where Keigo's power comes from; and since I believe Ururu to be a Human and** _ **not**_ **a Mod Soul, I don't see why others can't have that power. It might not be original, buuuuut… I don't care.**

 **That's another thing; why all the 'Keigo Hate' guys? Why does everyone say they hate him (some have even told me I should just kill him off); that's not cool. Keigo is like the Human Kon; the comic relief for the story of Bleach, if you will. I think he's funny and I don't understand why people hate him so much.**

 **As for the others, Chad will still have his Fullbring Abilities, but Chizuru, Mahana, Mizuiro and Tatsuki? Not sure yet. I'm sure I'll figure something out.**

 **Just so we're clear; the order for the Dark Ones when they had their fist meeting is as follows; Riyan, Bau, Mue, Benin (which should be obvious, as she's the only woman... I think?) and Jai. I hope that clears things up on that front; I just didn't want to give it all away so soon.**

 **The name of this Chapter was inspired by the fact training is happening and we all know the saying 'No Pain, No Gain', right? Plus I think it was the title of a Movie? Might've been about a Soldier in the Military, might've been about some dude wanting to be good at Gridiron and play in the NFL, or it might've been about a Prison Gridiron Team. I don't know, I'm not a Movie Buff.**

 **Next time, most of the Chapter will be combat-orientated. Now, I know I did this back in Chapter 5 (the fight between Ichigo & Shūhei, if people have forgotten), and well… It's my least popular Chapter, as far as traffic stats go. I know there was very little Character Development in that Chapter, but it was more or less a focus test to see how well I could write a full-on combat scene. I hope this one will be better, as I'll have Captains and Lieutenants battling and that should be fun. Speaking of Chapter 5, there's something I need to address, but I'll get to that in a second, as there's something else I'm curious about.**

 **Alright, so you know how some people on here use the Japanese names for shit in their Fanfics (such as honorifics and all that), I've also noticed people use 'Reiatsu' instead of 'Spiritual Pressure'. That's totally fine, as that's what it means (According to the Bleach Wiki; 'Reiatsu' does indeed mean 'Spiritual Pressure'),** _ **HOWEVER**_ **, I'm quite certain that it cannot be used interchangeably for 'Spirit Energy' or 'Spirit Particles'. As far as I'm aware; 'Reiryoku' is the Japanese word for 'Spirit Energy' and 'Reishi' is the word for 'Spirit Particles'. Now, I** _ **could**_ **be wrong, but I use the Bleach Wiki to source all my info and that tells me 'Reiryoku' is 'Spirit Energy' and 'Reishi' is 'Spirit Particles'. It does not state that 'Reiatsu' can be used interchangeably to represent all three. Again, this isn't me having a rant, it's just me trying to understand what means what in Japanese, as some of you guys prefer that over English and that's totally cool, I just don't understand Japanese and am curious to know if I'm wrong or not. I don't care if I am, I just want someone to clear that up for me.**

 **Right, now** _ **that**_ **wasn't a rant, but** _ **this**_ **is. You know how I love you guys so very much; especially thanks to all your reviews, Follows and Favourites (Both of me and my Fanfic). That being said, I also love people who review and give me** _ **CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM**_ **. If something is wrong with my Fanfic, be it an explanation about something, or a bit in the story you're not sure of (I know there's been a lot of confusion over the whole 'White/Zangetsu' thing in my Fanfic, which I shall address soon), I am more than happy to have you tell me about that (via review or PM) and I'll gladly address the issue (or make adjustments, should something not be right). I do not, however, appreciate people who make abusive comments about my work. I'm saying this because some little wanker decided to bash my story over something that occurred in Chapter 5. According to that little fuckwit, the Ichigo in my story is a moron because he's in the Soul Reaper Academy and can't hear Zanpakutō Spirits. Alright then, motherfucker, just** _ **how**_ **should Ichigo be able to hear his Zanpakutō Spirit? Does he need a fucking Ouija Board and a gypsy with a crystal ball? No, he's at the** _ **SOUL REAPER ACADEMY**_ **, if he's going to learn how to communicate with his Zanpakutō Spirit, it would be there. Besides, everyone experiences it differently. If you actually paid attention to Canon, Ichigo always communicated with Old Man Zangetsu when he was…? Ding, ding, ding; IN BATTLE! So, to sum up my point; my depiction of Zanpakutō/Soul Reaper Communication is accurate and you're still a little wanker. Note; the only reason I redacted the review is because it was Anonymous and the spelling/grammar was atrocious. I know not all of you guys speak English, but I'm pretty sure that review was so poorly structured that the zookeepers could have used it to kill Harambe instead of a bullet. Anyway, that's all I had to say.**

 **The TL;DR version of that is simply this; I welcome all forms of constructive criticism, just don't be a little dickhead and make an anonymous review with Kindergarten Level spelling and grammar.**

 **Righty-o then… I do believe it's time to respond to some** _ **ACTUAL**_ **Reviews! But before that, once again, thank you for all the support you've given my Fanfic with the Reviews, Favourites and Follows; It really means a lot!**

 **Lobisomen616; Now, where would be the fun in having you figure out things that are going to happen in the future? You're a smart individual, to be sure, but did you see** _ **this**_ **coming? And by 'this' I mean that fact it was Ganryū and his 'Dark Ones' that were responsible for the murder of Kumoi? If you did, then I bow to your greatness, sir or madam.**

 **Zaraki Jaegerjaquez; Thank you! I'm glad you like my Fanfic! Yes, once you explained what you meant to me, I knew what you were trying to say, and was able to sum it all up. I like Grimmjow and I want him to be more than just some murderous psychopath. Nnoitra already has that position, and I didn't want him to be a weaker version of that little dickhead (which I think SnowyAssas1n summed up in a previous review), so I decided to develop his character to give a broad scope and allow for a storyline of his own, to a degree. I apologise for not having any Arrancar/Espada scenes in this Chapter, but there was already so much going on, I thought having too much would make it tiresome for you (the reader), what with the rapid change of perspective throughout.**

 **DRADX; Are you sure about that, mate? Are you willing to bet money on it? You might be surprised by the outcome. That being said, as far as I'm aware, the Soul King has no form of ruling/governing power at all. He is simply the linchpin for the existence of life and the flow of Souls. He is simply God, and does God get involved with life on Earth? Well, no… But that's delving into religion and I'm not about to offend anyone (that, and I don't really care for it, even though I accept all religions).**

 **Colbet11; I hope I have delivered another excellent chapter for you, good sir or madam (As I do not know the gender of most of you guys, I am just going to use both gender forms as a safety net). I know it's a little tedious and annoying to have the perspective change so much, but I felt it was necessary to focus on Isshin and Ichigo's friends, as well at his Bankai training, and to include Hisana and Rukia meeting, as she hasn't been in the story for some time and I didn't want people to think I forgot about the meeting, just because Kumoi died. I hope you're not raging over my failure to deliver on an IchigoxYukiko lemon. I've not had anyone say no to it, so I don't see why it wouldn't happen, I was just trying to get the reader interested and excited in anticipation for what could come… That's a pun, it's a bad one and not intentional.**

 **CrazyClouds; I had considered giving Mizuiro some kind of Fullbring similar to Yukio's but I feel like it would have been a cheap rip-off, so I'm trying to think of something else. Again, I considered something like that for Tatsuki, but it's still a cheap knock-off and I would very much like to avoid that. As for Keigo… Why do you hate him? He's funny! I think I was able to capture his 'annoying personality' so well because people seem to think I'm annoying. I wish I was kidding, but I'm really not and I have no friends. I don't know if you watch Arrow, but that power you suggested sounds a lot like the thing Laurel (Black Canary) had, and after what happened in Season Four, I'm still in pain over it. I think superhuman strength like Ururu was a good way to go.**

 **Ichigoat; Please… Don't ever say that again. 'Ichigo has to be a good little Soul Reaper and take orders'… That, frankly terrified me, and the images that came with that statement still haunt me.**

 **Naruto; Well, you might get your wish, my friend, as everyone seems to be keen on an IchigoxYukiko lemon. So, you never know…**

 **FindingProvidence; AHA! There you are, person I don't know but care about nonetheless! I'm glad to hear that you're okay and haven't gotten lost in the sea of Fanfics. Petroleum Engineering? That's something I have never heard of before, but it sounds fascinating. Since I am from New Zealand (Well, I'm from England, but live in New Zealand) and am almost 22 and haven't been to school in 3.5 years, I have no idea when School starts up again (Especially if you're in the US), so I wasn't aware of that fact. I had assumed everyone went back to school in September, like they do in England (as far as I know, I haven't lived there in 10 years), but I wish you all the best with your works and hope you enjoy doing what you do! And there it is! I am honoured that this has become your favourite Fanfic! I do pride myself on putting in the hard yards to made a fully enjoyable chapter for everyone to read every week (and if I'm on a roll, I might get two out a week). I will admit, sometimes writing these things can be a bitch, but it reviews like yours that keep me going! I wanted to have more than just the usual Orihime, Uryū and Chad who know about the spirits with Tatsuki being on the outer as she comes to grips with her ability to see spirits, especially since everyone was present when Ichigo confronted Aizen after learning the Final Getsuga Tenshō, and after that, he sat each one of them down and told them about what he really is/was. So I thought, why not expand my horizons and include all the girls from Ichigo's class and give them bigger roles? Especially since I think Michiru has a secret crush on Ichigo (because she says she's scared of his face, which means she must spend lots of time looking at it, which means she likes him! Well, I could be (and probably am) way off, but it's a Fanfic, so fuck normality! To be honest, the only reason I took up writing was because people at school told me to. Funny story; when I had my English Literature Classes in School, we had these workbooks to help us with our grammar and word use and shit (like verbs, nouns, pronouns… You get the idea), and when people would write simple things like 'The brown dog chased the red rubber ball', I wrote 'The vicious demon who ascended from the fiery depths of hell, speared the souls of the damned on his blade of judgement and cast them down to eternal pain and suffering' and people were like 'Wow, holy shit. You should write a book', and so I thought why the hell not? That's why I'm writing now. This was only 5 years ago too. I had no idea even existed until last year too (don't judge me). I won't lie, I don't know what the 'STEM Field' is, but I wish you all the best in that area, and you now hold the record of having the biggest response to a review on my Fanfic. I hope you are proud of that!**

 **Gacsam; 'Shiro' means 'White'? I thought 'Haku' was Japanese for 'White'? Like 'Hakufuku' means 'White Crawl'. I refuse to call him 'Hichigo'. It's a bullshit name and I don't like it. Yes, I know Zangetsu is the merging of his Hollow and Zanpakutō Spirit, Old Man Zangetsu is actually Yhwach (Which I think I spelled it as 'Ywhach' in previous mentions in my A/N's) from 1,000 Years ago and is the manifestation of his Quincy Powers and White is the name Kaname gave to the Hollow Aizen created which attacked Masaki. Kaname called it 'White' because it was created from the soul of a Soul Reaper (and it's also ironic, because 'White' was fully Black). I know my lore, but since Ichigo doesn't know about his Quincy Heritage, he believes the Old Man is Zangetsu and his Hollow is an imposter, and since I thought it'd be a pain in the ass to keep writing, 'Ichigo's White Doppelgänger' (or something akin to that), I just decided to call him 'White', so we all know 'White' is his Hollow and actual Zanpakutō Spirit and 'Old Man Zangetsu' is actually Yhwach's form (even though Ichigo doesn't know that). I hope that makes sense. Also, no, the assassination of Kumoi wasn't a ruse created by Yukiko to get Ichigo to sleep with her. She had only just met him and wouldn't have had time to formulate such a plan. 'Smartassery' or not, at least you were civil and weren't a little wanker who decided to swear at me and call my Fanfic stupid because you thought something was wrong or didn't understand something, and for that, I thank you.**

 **Mugetsu – Moonless Sky; I had no idea that school was back until you left your review. I'm pleased you have enjoyed everything so far, I hope you'll enjoy the journey you are about to embark on with so many others. I like to think I can create a half-decent story that people are interested in and enjoy all the little machinations and whatnot that take place. I do like writing scenes with Gin; he can be really funny at times, so I hope I make people laugh with my humour (terrible as it is). However, what you said about the possibility of my fic becoming popular now Summer Break is over; is that actually how it works? People spend more time on here during school time than break time? I thought it would have been the opposite. However, I don't know what Americans (assuming you're from the US like a huge majority of people on here are) do during their summer breaks. I just used to spend it locked in my room, playing the newest Assassin's Creed, or whatever games were out around Christmas. Last year, however, I spent it working. Raking in all that money! Sorry, getting off point. Ahem, well, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I also hope what you said about my fanfic possibly becoming more popular now that school is back in session is true!**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; Ichigo's Bankai Training has now concluded. I didn't want to solely focus on it, as it would've just been a boring rehash of the Canon version, but I did come up with the end myself. It might be a cop-out, but I thought it worked well and has that air of mystery around it. Convenience too, as it was looking like Ichigo was going to fail, until Old Man Zangetsu turned up and helped, but we all know Anime/Manga is built on people pulling victories out of thin air. I can only hope my way is well received and unique. Again, I've not had any objections to a sex scene between Ichigo and Yukiko; if you (or anyone else) are having a hard time imagining Yukiko, just picture a slightly taller version of Yoruichi, with longer hair, bigger breasts and much more incredible curves and a nice ass. Dark skin and alluring golden eyes… You get the idea. Drama makes a story exciting, so that's why I contemplated the thought, and teased it in this Chapter. I hope you enjoyed this Chapter and I hope everyone enjoys the next Chapter that's going to be combat-orientated, as I know Chapter 5 was a bit of a bust, but with more fighters and fights going on, it should be much, much better!**

 **That's all I have to say; please Review, Favourite or Follow (if you haven't done already), and I'll see you in a week (at the latest)!**

 **It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Pastasaurus flying off to save the day by delivering new Chapter for his Fanfic!**

 **Goodbye, my friends! Until next time!**


	16. The Last Of The Ryodoji

Chapter Sixteen – The Last Of The Ryōdoji

" **BANKAI!"**

Ichigo's spirit energy exploded out of his Zanpakutō and began to circle around him and a vortex of black and red. From out of the vortex a long, black blade emerged and with it, a transformed Ichigo.

Ichigo's robes had changed and became a long, black coat that flared out at the end; he had a pair of black and white bracers on and a pair of black gloves. His Zanpakutō had become a long, thin blade of pure black steel that had three fins along the flat edge of the blade.

"Tensa Zangetsu…" Ichigo uttered, while Ganryū looked at him with surprise.

"WHAT?! How does this kid have a Bankai?! He hasn't been here two years yet!" Mue shouted in anger.

"Silence, Mue!" Ganryū shouted, glaring at the man who had once again spoken out of turn.

"That is your Bankai? Don't make me laugh. You honestly expect me to believe that toothpick is your Bankai?" Ganryū said with amusement.

"Why don't you come and find out?" Ichigo retorted as he raised the blade of Tensa Zangetsu at Ganryū.

Ganryū simply waved a hand and one of his followers charged at Ichigo.

Taking a defensive stance, Ichigo blocked the attack of the large man. In his hands were a pair of large club-like weapons.

"So, you're my first opponent, big guy?" Ichigo asked as his opponent raised his other hand and tried to smash Ichigo as a response.

"Don't assume you can beat me because you claim to have a Bankai. I am Bau, and I am one of Master Ganryū's loyal followers." Bau said with a growl.

"Right…" Ichigo breathed as he saw another one of Ganryū's men try to sneak past him and into the Shihōin Manor. "Hold that thought."

While Bau had been sent to occupy Ichigo, Ganryū had sent Mue to assault the Shihōin Manor and find Yukiko. That, however, didn't go exactly to plan.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Ichigo yelled as he came up from behind Mue.

"What? But you're–!" Mue looked behind him and saw Ichigo chasing after him, then looked over to Bau. Ichigo was still fighting Bau. "Grrr… Speed Clones!"

"Hey, you're pretty quick on the uptake. Here I was thinking you were nothing more than the angry short guy with an even shorter fuse." Ichigo smirked as Mue pulled out his sword to block Ichigo's strike.

As the two collided, a large blast of air exploded around them, knocking the pair back.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Mue roared, his face going red with anger.

"Hmm, maybe I was right… You _are_ just an angry short guy with an even shorter fuse." Ichigo said as Mue attacked him again. _C'mon, Captain Aizen… Where are you?_ Ichigo thought.

* * *

At the time Ganryū and his followers had entered the Soul Society; Captain Kurotsuchi had received an alert of a portal being opened up and notified the Head Captain.

"So, the enemy finally reveals themselves, do they? Prepare for battle, Captain Kurotsuchi. It is time we put a stop to these madmen!" The Head Captain stood up and looked at his loyal Lieutenant. "Lieutenant Sasakibe! Relay the following message to _all_ Captains and Lieutenants; The enemy has arrived. Lieutenant Kurosaki needs our assistance in fighting these criminals! All Captains and Lieutenants are to make their way to the Shihōin Manor to deal with this invading force!"

With a bow Lieutenant Sasakibe left to follow the orders of his Head Captain. The Head Captain, meanwhile, grabbed his large staff and left his office. It was time for the ancient General to head to the front lines again.

* * *

Captain Aizen had been in his office when he received the emergency war summons from Lieutenant Sasakibe. He didn't need to have the Squad One Lieutenant tell him the people responsible for the assassination of Gyōkaku Kumoi had arrived. The massive explosion of spiritual pressure from his Lieutenant was more than enough to get his attention.

"Nice… Ichigo has mastered Bankai. I knew he could do it. Now we wait, and see what happens…" Aizen said to himself as he grabbed Kyōka Suigetsu from its mantle and strapped it to his waist before leaving his office.

* * *

"So, tell me; how are you settling in to your duties as Captain, Miyako?" Jūshirō asked as he looked to his former Third Seat. He had to admit that she suited the Captain's Coat.

"Well to be honest, Captain, it's been a bit of a challenge. I now have to watch over an entire Squad, write reports and make sure everyone is happy. It's not helping that Rangiku is a little testy since I took away her alcohol, but I'm sure we can work around that." Miyako replied with a smile.

"Yeah, that's one thing Uncle Isshin couldn't handle; a sober Rangiku who had no alcohol to consume. Nothing would ever get done… It always fell to me to get everything done." Kaien added, causing both Jūshirō and Miyako to laugh.

Captain Ukitake had been discharge from Squad Four the day after the Kuchiki's party and was deemed fit to return to duty by Captain Unohana. The first thing he had wanted to do was go an visit Miyako and congratulate her on her promotion to Captain of Squad Ten, but a pair of very concerned and very competitive Fourth Seats refused to let him leave the Squad Thirteen Barracks.

"Excuse me, Captain Shiba?! I have an urgent message from the Head Captain!" The voice of Chōjirō Sasakibe called out from outside the door to Miyako's office.

"Enter, Lieutenant Sasakibe." Miyako responded, causing the Lieutenant to open the door and bow.

"Oh, Captain Ukitake, Lieutenant Shiba, good; this will save me some time. The people responsible for the murder of Gyōkaku Kumoi have made their move and have infiltrated the Soul Society. Lieutenant Kurosaki is currently engaging them in combat and all Captain and Lieutenant Class Soul Reapers are to assist in eradicating this invading force!" Lieutenant Sasakibe stated.

"Wait, you mean to say that spiritual pressure we felt was Ichigo's? That's incredible! It's as powerful as a Captain, maybe even more so!" Jūshirō gasped as he realised who the powerful spiritual pressure he had felt several minutes ago belonged to.

"Then let us go help him out!" Miyako declared as she stood up from her desk and picked up her Zanpakutō. "I'll go find Rangiku!"

"There is no need, Captain. She was with Captain Kyōraku and Lieutenant Ise over at Squad Eight when I delivered the message to them." Chōjirō stated, causing Miyako to scowl ever so slightly.

"I told her to oversee this morning's training exercises…" Miyako shook her head in disappointment.

"Well, that's Rangiku for you. Come, you can punish her later. Ichigo needs our help!" Kaien said as he took off with Flash Step, followed by Jūshirō and then Miyako.

* * *

"H-How are there two of you?!" Bau exclaimed in shock as he heard Mue scream in anger and saw his brother fighting another Ichigo.

"Haven't you figured it out yet? Hmm, you must be the slow one of the group… No matter." Ichigo shrugged as he began to strike at Bau, sending the large man on the back foot, who was trying to block the numerous blows Ichigo was landing on his large clubs.

"Grr… Get… LOST!" Bau roared as he swiped one of his clubs at Ichigo, only to have it pass _through_ Ichigo, much to Bau's horror. "How?!"

"Fine, I'll tell you. Jeez, you're about as dumb as Ōmaeda…" Ichigo shook his head. "They're called speed clones. Right now, I'm travelling so fast that I've made a perfect copy of myself, in order to fight you and your friend over there." Ichigo pointed over to his other fight with Mue.

"Impossible!" Bau shouted as he made to swat Ichigo again, who merely sighed, and blocked the attack with the flat edge of his blade.

"The only thing that is 'impossible' is the odds of you leaving here alive…" Ichigo replied.

* * *

"This boy is moving so fast, he's able to be in two places at once, my Lord. Should we move to intercept?" Riyan asked Ganryū.

"No, we shall enter the Shihōin Manor and make Yukiko Shihōin hand over the Sacred Artefacts." Ganryū said as he took a step towards the Shihōin Manor.

"That is far enough; Ganryū Ryōdoji!" A powerful voice rang out and within seconds, Ganryū was surrounded by Captains and Lieutenants.

"You have some nerve, Genryūsai Yamamoto; getting involved in the affairs of Noble Families." Ganryū stated, glaring at the Head Captain.

"I could say the same to you; showing your face here after all this time. You think we wouldn't stop you?" Yamamoto questioned, looking at Ganryū, despite his eyes remaining closed.

"No, I had assumed you would try to get involved, even though it's against the laws of the Soul Society for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to get involved with the affairs of Noble Houses." Ganryū responded.

"You and your 'Noble House' were exiled a thousand years ago! You have no claim to such a title!" Yamamoto declared.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and cannot claim, old man?" Ganryū asked; his voice had an icy undertone to it.

"Enough of this! You're surrounded, Ganryū! Surrender now, and you and your followers will be given leniency in your trial!" The Head Captain said, earning a laugh from Ganryū.

"'Leniency'?! You already exiled my clan more than a millennia ago! What could you possibly do to us now that you didn't do then?!" Ganryū shouted in anger.

"You still have your lives. Surrender and I will make sure you will serve time in the Muken, instead of facing execution." The Head Captain replied in a calm voice that had a dangerous tone to it.

"You think you can stop us?!" Ganryū asked, holding his arms out at his sides.

"You're outnumbered almost four to one. You cannot hope to defeat us…" Yamamoto stated.

"Is that so? Well, perhaps it's time to level the playing field!" Ganryū clicked his fingers and several more portals opened up and out of them came a wave of white.

Upon closer inspection, the Head Captain realised the waves of white were actually creatures, thousands of them, each one wearing a coat of white fur and had a red horn. Each creature looked exactly the same and all of them had no face.

"Blanks…!" Yamamoto whispered, opening his eyes in shock.

"That's right; Genryūsai Yamamoto! For the last thousand years, the Ryōdoji Family have wandered the Dangai in exile, until we finally came across a separate dimension where the Blanks reside! We call it, 'The Valley Of Screams'! For a thousand years we lived there, training and exerting control over the Blanks. Now, they respond to us. You have lost this fight, old man. The Ryōdoji Family and the 'Dark Ones' shall rise again!" Ganryū stated with an evil laugh.

"God, do you ever shut up?! You're giving me a damn headache!" Ichigo yelled as he appeared in the group of Captains and Lieutenants.

"Ichigo? But, I thought you were fighting those other guys?" Kaien said, as he looked over and saw Ichigo still fighting Mue and Bau.

"Hmm? Nah, I got bored. I created a second Speed Clone so I could come and see what was going on here." Ichigo shrugged.

"Speed Clones?" Kaien repeated.

"Yeah, part of my Bankai allows me to travel at such speeds that I can make perfect copies of myself. The best part is those morons have no idea I stopped fighting them ages ago." Ichigo smirked, causing Kaien to shake his head with a smile.

"You have a Bankai? When did you get something like that?" Shunsui asked, clearly impressed by the young Lieutenant.

"About… Thirty six minutes ago. Never did I think I'd get to use it so soon." Ichigo responded, earning a chuckle from Captain Kyōraku.

"Very well! Since you seem to think you can defeat us with sheer numbers, we shall show you the true might of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads!" Yamamoto shouted, raising his staff and forcing it to break down, revealing the Zanpakutō hidden within.

"Riyan! Jai! Benin!" Ganryū called out the names of his followers who were by his side. "Take your pick of Captains and Lieutenants and take them elsewhere with your Blanks. The Head Captain is mine!" Ganryū pulled out a large spear and aimed it at the Head Captain.

Each of Ganryū's followers nodded and vanished with Flash Step as they moved to intercept their choice of opponent.

* * *

"You seem to be a powerful pair. I would be honoured to face you both in battle." Riyan said as he appeared in front of Shunsui and Komamura.

"Well, if that's what you want, I'll be happy to oblige you, friend." Shunsui said as he tipped his hat to his opponent.

"Just don't expect us to hold back, simply because we outnumber you." Komamura said, putting a hand on his Zanpakutō.

"Outnumber me? I do believe you've gotten the wrong end of the stick. It is _I_ who outnumber _you_." Riyan stated as he clicked his fingers and an army of Blanks formed up behind him.

* * *

"Tch, y'all don't look tough… I'll kill you and then I gotta go do what my Master expects of me." Jai snorted as he appeared before Kaname and Shūhei, who had come along at the request of his Captain.

"It is a mistake to underestimate the abilities of your enemies and judge them simply by their outward appearance." Kaname said as he drew his Zanpakutō, prompting Shūhei to do the same. "Remember what I have taught you, Shūhei, and you shall do fine."

"Yes sir… I will not fail you!" Shūhei said with conviction as he readied his sword.

"Ha! Not only are y'all weak, but y'all are stupid too! I'm not the only one you're fighting!" Jai laughed as he clapped his hands and summoned a huge crowd of Blanks at his back.

* * *

"Oh, you're coming with me, sweetheart!" Benin declared as she appeared before Miyako, Rangiku and Nanao.

"You want to face all three of us? I do believe that is an unwise course of action…" Nanao stated as she adjusted her glasses.

"Oh, listen to you, acting all formal! Mmm, I'm going to enjoy killing you! The thought of being covered in your blood just makes me so… _wet_." Benin purred, as she rubbed the sensitive spot between her legs.

"Oh, that is _so_ gross!" Nanao shouted. "Have some decorum and stop acting like a psychopathic whore!"

"Relax, Lieutenant Ise. I don't believe I caught your name, madam. Perhaps you would be so kind as tell us?" Miyako asked.

"Hmm, now aren't you just a gorgeous looking thing?! And a Captain too?! Oh, yes… Oh, yes!" Benin replied, rubbing herself harder. "Mmm, but if you must know, I'm Benin."

"I see… Well, Benin, I am Miyako Shiba; Captain of Squad Ten, and I will not allow you to harm either of my girls." Miyako stated dangerously as she unsheathed her Zanpakutō.

"Oh, I _love_ it when they put up a fight." Benin stated gleefully as she whistled and summoned her fighting force of Blanks.

* * *

"Alright! I got the big guy! He looks like he'd put up a fight!" Kenpachi grinned as he and Yachiru rushed off to confront Bau.

"Well, I guess I'll stick to fighting the short guy with an even shorter temper. Would you like to join me, Captain Aizen?" Ichigo asked.

"Certainly, Ichigo. Would you like to join us, Captain Soifon?" Aizen asked, looking at the Squad Two Captain and her bumbling Lieutenant.

"No thank you. I'm going to check on Lady Yukiko and Master Yūshirō, just to make sure your fool of a Lieutenant hasn't done anything to them." Soifon responded, glaring at Ichigo. "Come, Marechiyo."

"Now why would–?" Captain Aizen began, only to stop when Soifon had vanished with Flash Step. "Hmm… How rude."

"Ah, don't worry about her, Captain! We've got an enemy to defeat!" Ichigo shouted as he rushed off to attack Mue.

"Indeed we do, Ichigo… Indeed we do." Aizen said with a smile as he rushed off to join his Lieutenant.

"Captain Kuchiki, Captain Ukitake! I would appreciate any assistance you can offer in this battle." Yamamoto said, causing both men to arrive at his side.

"Of course, Head Captain." Ginrei said, looking to Jūshirō and nodding.

"We'll do whatever we can to help, Master Genryūsai." Jūshirō added, causing the Head Captain to nod in understanding.

Captain Kurotsuchi stared in excitement at the scene around him. Not only were the Captains splitting off to fight the invaders, who had an army of strange creatures he had never seen before, but Ichigo Kurosaki claimed to have a Bankai that he needed to examine.

"Oh, my… This is marvellous! Simply marvellous! The potential research specimens I have at my disposal is incredible. Not only that, but Captain Aizen's Lieutenant has a Bankai? This battle will prove to be _invaluable_ for my research!" The Captain cried in glee. "Nemu! Go over to Captain Shiba and assist her! I still need to examine her Bankai as well…"

"Yes, Master Mayuri." Nemu bowed to her creator before using Flash Step to join Miyako.

"Captain Kurotsuchi! Need I remind you this is not the time to be concerned with you research? Those portals must be closed off, otherwise we will be overrun. Go find a way to seal them!" The Head Captain commanded.

"As you wish. Just keep some specimens alive so that I might have _something_ to examine when this is all over." Mayuri replied with a bored tone before returning to his barracks.

"Those of you who are without an opponent must hold back these creatures otherwise we cannot hope to win!" The Head Captain declared.

"Well, well… Looks like that honour falls to us, eh?" Gin said as he appeared next to Kaien, Tetsuzaemon and Chōjirō.

"It would appear so, Captain Ichimaru. Let's us push these beasts back in the name of the Soul Society!" Chōjirō declared, unsheathing his Zanpakutō.

"Now, Ganryū Ryōdoji, it is time we end this." The Head Captain stated as he removed his Captain's Coat and undid the top half of his Shihakushō, revealing an incredibly muscular torso that was covered in scars.

"I couldn't agree more, Genryūsai Yamamoto." Ganryū replied readying his weapon.

"All things in the Universe turn to ashes; Ryūjin Jakka!" The Head Captain shouted, his voice thundering across the skies as the most powerful Soul Reaper in existence released the most powerful Zanpakutō in existence.

* * *

"Well, well… It looks like Old Man Yama isn't messing around." Shunsui smirked as he turned to face his opponent.

"Master Ganryū isn't a man to be taken lightly. He is an incredible warrior and your Head Captain will soon realise that." Riyan replied as he took a fighting stance before his two opponents.

"Be that as it may, your Master will soon see just how powerful Head Captain Yamamoto is. However, that's not your concern. It is us you should be concerned with." Komamura stated as he drew his Zanpakutō.

"Agreed, gentlemen, agreed. Would you do me the honour of telling me your names?" Riyan asked, looking at his two opponents.

"Shunsui Kyōraku; Captain of Squad Eight." Shunsui said, nodding at Riyan.

"Sajin Komamura; Captain of Squad Seven. What might your name be, 'Dark One'?" Sajin asked his opponent.

"I am simply known as Riyan; Master Ganryū's Second-In-Command." Riyan responded, giving a slight bow to the two Captains.

"Well, now the pleasantries have been completed, let's say we get this battle underway?" Shunsui said as he removed his Zanpakutō from their sheaths.

Wasting no time, Riyan pulled out a blade and charged at Shunsui, who simply brought his blades up to block the attack.

Breaking the guard, Shunsui kicked Riyan and sent him flying back, allowing Sajin to deliver a powerful downward strike, which narrowly missed.

"Ah, an interesting start, this should prove to be interesting…" Riyan commented, as he faced down his two opponents.

* * *

Jai laughed as he threw his twin Chakram at Kaname and Shūhei, the former dodging with ease, but the latter was struggling somewhat, already earning a few cuts.

"Calm down, Shūhei. A battle must be fought with a level head and a heart with an iron will." Kaname stated as the pair reappeared with Flash Step once Jai's Chakram returned to him.

Nodding in understand, Shūhei brought his blade up and sliced through a few Blanks that had tried to ambush him.

Kaname simply sidestepped an incoming Blank attack and sliced the creature in half at the 'waist'. He was only able to dodge a surprise attack from Jai by the slightest of margins. Shaking his head, Kaname used Flash Step and appeared behind Jai.

Jai turned and was about to attack Kaname when he felt excruciating pain in his right arm. Looking down, he saw he had no right arm. When Kaname used Flash Step, he sliced his opponents arm off.

"Aaarrrggghhh! You–! You'll pay for that!" Jai roared as he held up his the bloody stump of an arm and started absorbing the Blanks.

Shūhei watched in shock as the man was able to regenerate his arm by absorbing several Blanks.

"Dammit, how can we beat this guy? We need to close those portals and get rid of these Blanks!" Shūhei shouted as he charged at Jai. "Reap; Kazeshini!"

Shūhei hurled one of his scythes at Jai and was surprised to see his opponent slap his weapon away using his newly formed right arm.

"You can't hope to defeat me! I can absorb these here Blanks and make myself more powerful too. Y'all gonna die here!" Jai laughed as he threw his Chakram at Shūhei, who was only just able to block the attack with Kazeshini.

"This is going to be harder than I thought…" Shūhei growled as Kaname appeared next to him.

* * *

Miyako, Nanao, Nemu and Rangiku knew they had their hands full with Benin. Not only was she some sexually charged lunatic who got off on spilling the blood of others, she was also a very critical tactician who used surprise attacks, they found this out the hard way when Nemu arrived to help.

As soon as she arrived, her left shoulder was speared by a crossbow bolt from Benin. While it didn't necessarily hurt Nemu, who simply snapped the bolt and removed it from her shoulder, it certainly gave the women fighting Benin pause for thought.

That, however, wasn't very long, as Benin sent some of her Blanks to attack Miyako and her partners.

"Growl; Haineko!" Rangiku yelled as she took point and turned her Zanpakutō into a cloud of metallic ash, which acted as a barrier that the Blanks ran into.

Twisting and swiping the hilt of her sword, she managed to slice up three Blanks who had come into contact with Haineko's ash. This allowed Nanao an opening to attack herself.

"Hadō Number Thirty-Three; Sōkatsui!" Nanao held the palm of her hand out and fired a burst of blue spirit energy that hit a Blank and destroyed it.

After losing four of their allies, the Blanks began to charge an orb of bright orange energy at the top of their horns before firing it at the Soul Reapers.

"Eradicate; Kage no Josei!" Miyako used Flash Step to appear in front of Nanao and Rangiku, and used her Shikai to absorb the attack from the Blanks.

"What?! How did you do that?!" Benin yelled, astounded by the Captain's negation of the Blank's attack.

"My Zanpakutō has the ability to absorb any and all attacks using spirit energy that generate light. Each attack my Kage no Josei absorbs amplifies her power, which I can send back at my opponent. Watch." Miyako raised her shadowy blade and swiped forward, releasing an eruption of shadow that had the appearance of black fire.

The attack cut through a large number of Blanks before it headed towards Benin, who used Flash Step to avoid the attack.

"Wow! That was incredible, Captain Shiba!" Rangiku said, looking at the path of destruction Miyako had created.

"I'd be careful, ladies; that shadow fire isn't just for show…" Miyako responded as they watched a Blank approach the black fire that was still lingering and as soon as the Blank came into contact with it, it erupted into flames before disintegrating into nothingness.

"Oh, my…" Nanao breathed in shock. "Captain, look out!"

Miyako turned to see Benin had appeared to the left of her and shot another bolt from her crossbow, which was aimed at Miyako's head. Miyako had no time to dodge, and simply closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable to come…

Miyako opened her eyes after a few seconds and realised she was still alive. Not really sure how Benin had missed, she looked around and saw who had saved her.

As Benin tried to use a sneak attack to take down Miyako, Nemu had appeared and intercepted the bolt before it hit Miyako. Nemu had managed to grab the bolt with her bare hand, and ended up crushing it before allowing the splintered remains to fall the the earth.

"Alright, so that's how you wanna play it, honey? Fine by me!" Benin yelled as she pulled a set of daggers from her Shihakushō, which were connected by a chain.

"I'll handle her, ladies; you just focus on taking down the Blanks." Miyako said calmly as he raised her Zanpakutō to fight Benin.

With a nod, the three Lieutenants all took off to thin out Benin's Blank Army.

Miyako, on the other hand, simply looked at Benin with a solemn look.

"What's that look for?" She snapped, raising an eyebrow.

"I really didn't want to resort to this, but I cannot allow you to harm my girls in any way…" Miyako stated as she held her Zanpakutō up vertically, the blade obscuring the left side of her face.

"Bankai…" Miyako whispered as her blade exploded and began to absorb all the light around her.

* * *

"Alright, you big bastard, just how tough are you?!" Kenpachi yelled as he raced off to attack Bau, who turned and blocked the Captain's attack with his clubs, causing an explosion of air upon contact.

"Who the hell are you?! I want to fight that kid with the orange hair!" Bau yelled in anger.

"What? Ichigo? Tch, don't insult me. I'm way tougher than he is!" Zaraki grinned.

"Really? Then I'll kill you first, then that little bastard is next!" Bau growled as he tried to smash Zaraki into the ground, but was stopped by the Captain's Zanpakutō.

"Heh, is that all you got?!" Zaraki shouted as he swiped his blade upwards and sliced the giant club in two.

"Argh, you'll pay for that!" Bau roared as he tried even harder to knock Kenpachi out of the sky.

"Is this all the power you have? I'm disappointed." Kenpachi said darkly, a scowl crossing his face.

"Shut up! You can't hope to beat me! I'm going to–" Bau never got a chance to finish his sentence, as Zaraki had sliced him in half.

"Pathetic…" Zaraki snorted as he held his chipped blade over his shoulder.

"Ohhh… Is it over already, Kenny?" Yachiru asked from her spot on Zaraki's back.

"Yeah… What a waste of time. If only the old man would let me fight the leader, but he seems to have a grudge against him." Kenpachi commented, looking over to the battle between the Head Captain and Ganryū.

* * *

"Getsuga Tenshō!" Ichigo fired off a blast of spirit energy that collided with Mue and exploded upon impact, causing him to fall out of the sky.

"Very impressive, Ichigo. Even I felt the power behind that attack." Aizen commented with a smirk.

"It was incredibly powerful… It's even changed colour from blue to black. Say, why aren't you using your Shikai, Captain?" Ichigo looked at his Captain, who had been fighting Mue using only his sealed form.

"I don't think I'll be needing it against this opponent… Besides, my Shikai isn't really used for combat situations." Aizen replied, holding up Kyōka Suigetsu.

"Urgh… Damn you… DAMN YOU!" Mue roared in anger as he returned to the air to battle Ichigo and Aizen.

"Hmm… It appears you last attack really hit a nerve." Aizen stated as he looked at his enraged opponent.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME?!" Mue yelled as he clicked his fingers and within seconds, a massive army of Blanks appeared behind him. "I'LL SHOW YOU JUST HOW WEAK YOU REALLY ARE!"

Mue turned to face his Blank army and held out a hand. After a few moments, he began to suck up several Blanks into his hand, which began to merge with him, completely healing his injuries and increasing his power. As soon as he finished powering up, all the Blanks he had absorbed from his ranks were replaced by other Blanks in what appeared to be a never-ending cycle.

"Oh, dear… This seems to have become rather troublesome…" Aizen said with a frown.

"How are we going to stop these things? There's too many!" Ichigo said, raising the blade of Tensa Zangetsu up over his shoulder.

"Not to worry, Ichigo. Captain Kurotsuchi is working on a way to seal these portals. Until then…" Aizen calmly raised his left hand and pointed it at Mue and his Blanks with his palm open. "Hadō Number Eighty-Eight; Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō."

As Aizen spoke a large orb of bright blue spirit energy began to form in his hand, which tripled in size and began to crackle with lighting as he fired the beam directly at Mue without a care in the world.

Mue was smart enough to dodge the spell, but his Blanks weren't. Aizen's Kidō hit the front lines of the Blank formation and obliterated them. Sweeping his hand from left to right, Aizen's spell decimated almost every single Blank Mue had summoned.

"There… I think that will make things easier for us." Aizen said coolly, while Ichigo stared in awe.

"Holy crap, Captain! You have _got_ to teach me that!" Ichigo said with a shocked look on his face.

"I don't see why not." Aizen shrugged. "But first, we need to put a stop to this invasion."

Without another word, both Ichigo and Aizen rushed towards Mue, in an attempt to take him out.

* * *

Ganryū ducked under the flaming blade of Ryūjin Jakka that the Head Captain had swung in order to decapitate the man. Thrusting his spear towards the chest of the Head Captain, his strike was blocked by a powerful hand, which pulled Ganryū towards the ancient Soul Reaper.

Ganryū had to twist his body and use the momentum from being dragged towards the Head Captain to push himself up and over the Head Captain, in order to avoid the blade that wanted to impale him. He could feel the raw heat and power emanating from the sword, and he felt his eyebrows singe as he dodged the attack.

"It would appear you haven't lost any of your terrifying power in the last thousand years, Genryūsai Yamamoto." Ganryū commented as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Did you hope I would simply wither away and die in the time since you were banished, Ganryū Ryōdoji? Don't be foolish. I am the Head Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; I am the embodiment of the Soul Society's will! I will never go quietly!" Yamamoto declared as he raised Ryūjin Jakka again.

"I never once thought you were the sort of person who would just simply die of old age. I know the only way that you'll die is if I kill you myself!" Ganryū shouted as he thrusted his spear at Yamamoto, only for it to be blocked again.

Meanwhile, as Yamamoto and Ganryū were trading blows, Ginrei and Jūshirō were doing all they could to keep Ganryū's Blanks from assisting the Leader of The Dark Ones.

"Hadō Number Seventy-Three; Sōren Sōkatsui!" Ginrei held out a hand and fired a huge pulse of blue spirit energy at three incoming Blanks, resulting in a large explosion upon impact.

Jūshirō used Flash Step and cut through a further five Blanks without any difficulty. The act itself took a lot out of him though, as he had to stop because he began to cough uncontrollably.

"Jūshirō, look out!" Ginrei yelled as a Blank charged directly at the Squad Thirteen Captain, who couldn't defend himself.

As Jūshirō turned to see what Ginrei had shouted to him about, he was blocked by a large shadow, which cut the Blank in half. Looking up, he saw the man responsible for saving his life.

"K-Kenpachi?" Jūshirō coughed again.

"Take it easy, Ukitake… You're not well enough to fight. Since my opponent turned out to be weak, I thought I'd give you guys a hand." Kenpachi said with his back turned to the white-haired Captain.

"Thank you, Kenpachi." Jūshirō said sincerely.

"Don't thank me yet. We've still got a lot of work to do…" Kenpachi growled as he charged right into the fray, cutting down several Blanks with a single strike.

 _Hurry up, Captain Kurotsuchi… Before long we'll be overrun and we won't have any hope of winning…_ Jūshirō thought to himself as he re-entered battle.

* * *

While the various battles with the Dark Ones were unfolding, Gin and Kaien, along with Chōjirō and Tetsuzaemon were doing all they could to destroy as many Blanks as possible, which were still being spewed out of the portals Ganryū had summoned.

"Damn it, there's too many of them!" Tetsuzaemon growled as he cut down several more Blanks with his Shikai.

"Do not despair, Lieutenant Iba. We shall succeed because the Head Captain has entrusted this task to us!" Chōjirō stated with conviction as he used Gonryōmaru to drop a bolt of lightning on a group of encroaching Blanks.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm really enjoying myself! All this male bonding time! We need more of it!" Gin said with a smile. "Shoot to Kill; Shinsō!" Gin unleashed his Zanpakutō and cut down fifty Blanks in a single sweep of his blade.

"Alright, now you're just showing off, Captain!" Kaien shouted to Gin as he raised his Nejibana over his head, creating a torrent of water before slashing through five more Blanks.

"God, they just keep coming! What's taking that mad bastard Kurotsuchi so long?!" Tetsuzaemon yelled.

As soon as Tetsuzaemon said that, a portal began to close, followed by one more.

"Aha! Finally!" The Squad Seven Lieutenant yelled in relief.

"I wouldn't be relieved just yet. There's still many more portals to close and I have a feeling Captain Kurotsuchi heard you. There's no way you could insult him and then portals start to close almost immediately without him hearing you." Kaien said as he appeared at Lieutenant Iba's back.

Before Tetsuzaemon could formulate a response, the entire area went dark as a crushing level of spiritual pressure hit them.

"Whoa! That spiritual pressure! It's… It's incredible!" Tetsuzaemon struggled to speak as he fell to his knees.

"This is… This spiritual pressure… Miyako?" Kaien said in a strained voice as he struggled to remain standing.

* * *

"Roar; Tenken!" Komamura growled as he swung his Zanpakutō in a sweeping arc, and a second later, a giant, armoured, spectral hand materialised holding a Zanpakutō fifty times bigger than Komamura's and copied his exact move.

Komamura had used Tenken to block an incoming missile attack from Riyan, who used the Blanks in his army as ammunition for his rocket pack he had strapped to his back.

"A most impressive display. I am eager to see your Shikai too, Captain Kyōraku." Riyan said, looking over at the Squad Eight Captain.

"Are you sure about that? I don't think you could handle both mine and Captain Komamura's Shikai.." Shunsui said with a frown.

"I appreciate the sentiments, but I am Master Ganryū's best warrior. There's nothing I can't handle." Riyan said as he loaded more Blanks into his rocket pack and fired them at Shunsui.

"Tenken!" Komamura yelled as he summoned the massive hand and Zanpakutō of his Shikai and destroyed the missiles that were aimed at Shunsui.

"Thank you, Captain. It seems like he's no longer messing about. Alright then…" Shunsui sighed as he lifted his two Zanpakutō up and crossed them together; one pointing horizontally at Riyan, and the other pointing vertically at the sky. "Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer; Katen Kyōkotsu!"

Shunsui's blades changed from a daishō sword pair consisting of a tachi and wazikashi to a pair a huge, black Chinese Scimitars with large red tassels on the end of each hilt.

"Magnificent. Well, gentlemen, I do believe we are ready to get underway… Properly, this time." Riyan said as he marvelled at Shunsui's Shikai.

"I hope you're ready; Katen Kyōkotsu doesn't like it when I summon her and don't allow her to play." Shunsui said with a smirk. "Bushōgoma!"

Shunsui spun his Zanpakutō, releasing a spinning current of wind that rushed towards Riyan, who simply dodged it and allowed it to hit his Blanks, destroying four of them.

"Captain Komamura, would you like to play with Katen Kyōkotsu?" Shunsui asked as he looked at the armoured Captain with a grin.

"Certainly, Captain Kyōraku." Komamura nodded before leaping up higher into the air and raising his sword over his head. "Takaoni!" Komamura yelled as he swung his blade and came crashing down on Riyan.

Riyan took a step back to dodge, but he was unable to avoid the attack. As he stepped back, he felt the tip of Tenken cut the air in front of him before he felt a sharp cutting pain running all the way down his body.

Looking down, he saw a large cut had formed on his torso that ran all the way down the left side of his chest.

"How did–? I dodged that!" Riyan exclaimed, looking at the blood that was seeping out of his wound.

"Ah, that's the beauty of Katen Kyōkotsu; anyone who is within range of my spirit energy gets trapped in her domain. She loves taking children's games and adding her own deadly twist to them. For example; Takaoni. In that game, anyone who is on higher ground wins. What that means is, if you were to call out 'Takaoni' and you're the one on top, you will win. Even if your opponent dodges your strike, you will still hit them." Shunsui explained.

"Ah, I see… Thank you for the explanation; you will no longer be able to beat me with such a technique." Riyan stated as the area around him began to darken.

"Hmm, it appears I won't be needing to use that attack anymore anyway. Captain?" Shunsui said, looking at Sajin, who nodded.

"Looks like Captain Shiba's Bankai couldn't have come at a better time…" Komamura stated as he and Shunsui stared at Riyan.

* * *

Benin looked at Miyako in horror as she witnessed the release of the Captain's Bankai.

"Wh-wh-what is _that_?!" Benin shrieked.

"Bankai… Kage no Josei; Shinobiyoru Fantomu no Marionetto." Miyako whispered, as she opened her eyes, which had now turned black, like a demon.

"What the hell are you?!" Benin yelled, her entire body shaking with fear.

"Ah, yes… You are the first person to ever see my Bankai in a battle situation. Isn't she marvellous?" Miyako asked as she turned her back to Benin and looked up.

Outside the range of Miyako's Bankai, everyone simply saw everything go dark and if one was to look over at Miyako, they would only see her and Benin. Anyone who wasn't in Miyako's range, or the target for her Bankai, would never see it's _true_ form.

What Benin could see, which terrified her to no end, was a massive figure of a woman; clad in black robes that burned like fire and was wearing a pale white mask that revealed no facial features; only a pair of golden eyes that pierced the darkness. The figure in question had six arms that had multiple ropes attached to each hand. The woman loomed over the battlefield, drilling a hole into Benin's soul with her demonic golden eyes.

Even Miyako had become clad in the same robe of black fire. However, she only had two arms, but in both were a pair of Zanpakutō that imitated the appearance of her Shikai.

"Hah, so what?! I'll still kill you and fuck your corpse!" Benin yelled, half in anger and half in fear as she raised her crossbow and fired it at Miyako.

Miyako simply stood there as the bolt rushed towards her head. As it reached her, Miyako closed her eyes and her form shimmered ever so slightly, allowing the bolt to pass _through_ her head without harming her.

"Did you really expect that to work, Benin?" Miyako asked as she opened her eyes and her form became solid again. "It seems you are unaware of how a Bankai works, so I shall explain. A Bankai is the _true_ form of a Zanpakutō. It's Shikai form is merely a first step; Bankai is the final form, and as such, is an extension of a Shikai. My Shikai's abilities allow me to absorb any sort of attacks that use spirit energy and generate any form of light. Not only that, but I can forcibly make the blade of my Zanpakutō become intangible as needed. My Bankai, however, can do so much more…" Miyako began before taking a step forward and appeared to liquefy.

"Wh-what?! Where did you go?!" Benin shouted, looking around the area for her opponent. The giant woman who was part of Miyako's Bankai remained where it was, still staring right at Benin.

Miyako reformed several feet behind her and swung her dual Zanpakutō in an arc, cutting through several Blanks that were unfortunate enough to be caught within the range of Miyako's Bankai. Her blades, however, were intangible and harmlessly passed through the Blanks. Miyako quickly liquefied again before reforming back in the spot she had started from.

"What was that? You didn't even cut through them? Are you trying to mock me, bitch?!" Benin growled.

"Not at all… I was simply showing you how my Bankai works." Miyako said with a smile, which just looked terrifying with her solid black eyes.

"Oh, so you can disappear and reappear at will. Big deal! It's like a creepy version of Flash Step. Too bad it's not as fast." Benin smirked as she got into a fighting stance, ready to attack Miyako.

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge, Benin… It'll cost you your life." Miyako whispered dangerously.

Confused, Benin looked at her opponent before her face contorted into a look of shock and pain. Collapsing to her knees, her back exploded with blood.

"Wha–?!" Benin gasped as she turned around and saw one of her Blanks stood over her, a lone claw had appeared from its hand, which was covered in her blood. "What are you doing?! I'm not the enemy; she is!" Benin yelled at the traitorous Blank, pointing over to Miyako.

"I'm afraid shouting at it won't do you any good. That creature is now under the control of Kage no Josei. It belongs to her now." Miyako stated, as she pointed up to the giant woman.

In one of the hands of Kage no Josei was a long black rope. Upon inspection of the rope, Benin found that it was connected to the Blank that attacked her.

"What?! How?!" Benin shouted, trying to process everything that was happening.

"Did you forget? When I 'attacked' your Blanks, I wasn't aiming to kill them. I was connecting the strings from Kage no Josei to them. That was my first move; Puppets – The First Snow." Miyako explained as Benin glared at her.

"Grrr… You bitch! I'm going to _end you_!" Benin stood up, albeit with some difficulty.

As she returned to a standing base, she began to glow white as she began to absorb Blanks to restore her health, only to find out the ones Miyako had cut were unaffected. Growling in rage, she extended her range to target the ones outside of Miyako's Bankai; the ones Nanao, Nemu and Rangiku were battling.

It took some time, but she was able to absorb dozens of Blanks from outside Miyako's range, increasing her power and healing her.

"Alright, you whore! It's time for you to die!" Benin yelled, glaring daggers at Miyako, who simply chuckled.

"I think not. Let me show you another move of my Bankai; Puppets 2 – The Rain." Miyako flicked a wrist, causing Kage no Josei to do the same.

As Miyako flicked her wrist, the Blanks that were under the control of her Bankai turned and attacked some of the Blanks Benin hadn't absorbed. Each Blank manifested a large claw and began to cut through the ones who weren't under Miyako's control. As quickly as the attack began, it ended, and no Blanks were destroyed.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you what just happened, do I?" Miyako asked, cocking her head to the right; a content smile on her face.

"It looks like you're eager to tell me…" Benin muttered.

"Right you are; the second phase of Kage no Josei's 'Puppets' forces all under her power to attack their comrades and put them under her control. Look." Miyako pointed towards the Blanks.

Benin turned to see the Blanks that had been attacked had now formed up in rank, simply standing in position and not moving.

"Oh, come on! This is fucking bullshit! Does your Bankai have any weakness?!" Benin cried in anger.

"Well, I suppose I can tell you one of its drawbacks… There _is_ a limit to how many beings I can control with this attack. For each hand Kage no Josei uses, she can control five beings. As she has six hands, she can control a maximum of thirty enemies and turn them into allies. However, that piece of information will not help you win. You were dead the moment I released my Bankai. Puppets 3 – The Grand Finale!" Miyako shouted, raising her arms, causing Kage no Josei to do the same, before swinging her arms down in an 'X-Shape', with her Bankai mimicking her.

As soon as Miyako completed her movement, Benin began to scream in terror as the Blanks Miyako had turned descended on her, ripping her to shreds. Her screams soon died, along with her. Once her opponent had been defeated, she turned to the large form of Kage no Josei, who turned her gaze towards Miyako.

"Thank you, my lady." Miyako said with a smile. Kage no Josei simply tilted her head expectantly. "Ah, of course… Your payment… You may do as you please with them. They have served their purpose."

Kage no Josei turned her attention back to the Blanks, who were still standing over Benin's corpse. Motioning with the strings, Kage no Josei commanded the Blanks to collect the body of Benin and bring it to her.

The Blanks followed her orders and collected the body of Benin, which was still warm and marched over to her before they dropped the body at her feet and bowed. Kage no Josei removed the pure white mask, revealing a face of pure shadow that held no physiological form. The only thing that was able to distinguish it as a face at all was the razor sharp spikes that formed teeth in her mouth.

Picking up the body of Benin, Kage no Josei opened her mouth and swallowed the corpse whole, before creating a powerful vacuum of air that sucked up the thirty Blanks she had control of. Her body glowed white as she placed the mask back on before exploding and returning to Miyako's Zanpakutō, with the light in the area returning as she vanished.

"I'm sorry it had to come to that, Benin… But it was you or me. The moment I activated my Bankai, one of us had to die. That's the true price for using Kage no Josei; Shinobiyoru Fantomu no Marionetto. She demands payment of one's soul, and if I cannot give her the soul of my enemy, then my soul becomes forfeit and she will forcibly take it." Miyako whispered solemnly, her eyes returning to normal as she sheathed her blade.

* * *

Shūhei was exhausted. He had expended almost all of his spirit energy and was one the verge of passing out. He had spent the last thirty five minutes fending off Jai's Blanks while Captain Tōsen kept Jai occupied. Placing one of Kazeshini's blades over his shoulder, he sat down in the air and waited for his Captain.

Before he had finished cutting down the swarm of Blanks, their numbers felt never-ending to Shūhei, and while the portals were still open, it was exactly that. However, Shūhei was fortunate enough to have the portals his Blanks were coming out of sealed, right before the sky became black.

At first, he thought he was becoming delirious, but soon realised that it was actually Captain Tōsen's Bankai; Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi. While Shūhei was outside the large sphere of darkness, its size was so huge that it blacked out the sky around him, meaning he had no idea that the real reason the sky went black was because of Miyako's Bankai.

Wasting no time, Shūhei focussed on eliminated all of the Blanks that were charging towards him; and since the portals had been sealed up by Captain Kurotsuchi and his scientists in Squad Twelve, he attacked them with a renewed sense of strength, not stopping his attacks until the last one had fallen.

A few minutes after Shūhei had finished his battle, Captain Tōsen's Enma Kōrogi receded, revealing an unharmed Kaname, carrying the body of Jai.

"Captain! I see you were successful in your battle, sir!" Shūhei commented, standing up and bowing to his Captain.

"Yes. It was such a shame it had to come to this, but as a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, it is my duty to eliminate any and all threats to the Soul Society; for the sake of peace." Kaname replied, sensing there were no more Blanks left. "It would appear you were successful in defeating those creatures… And it seems Captain Kurotsuchi has sealed the portals. Soon, this will all be over." Kaname stated.

Shūhei nodded and noticed the sky was still black, even though his Captain's Bankai had ended.

"Captain, the sky is still black. Is this an after effect of your Enma Kōrogi?" Shūhei asked.

"No, do you feel that crushing spiritual pressure? It's incredibly far away, but there's no mistaking the power, or the owner. It belongs to Captain Shiba. It appears she decided to use her Bankai too." Kaname said, looking over to where Miyako was.

"Hey, you're right, that is Captain Shiba! I wonder what her Bankai is like…" Shūhei said as the sky returned to normal. "It's over… That must mean she defeated whoever she was battling."

"Yes, it would seem this invasion will not last much longer. I sense the person Captains Kyōraku and Komamura are battling has nearly fallen as well. " Kaname said before gasping slightly.

"Captain Tōsen?" Shūhei looked at his Captain with confusion.

Before Kaname could respond, Shūhei heard what caused his Captain to gasp. An explosion, and an incredibly powerful one at that. Shūhei naturally assumed it was the power of the Head Captain as he defeated the leader of the invasion force, but when he turned and saw the origin of the explosion, he was wrong. Very wrong.

When Shūhei turned around, he noticed the explosion had taken place on the opposite side of the battlefield from where the Head Captain was. Not only that, but the explosion didn't look like fire, it was black and red.

"Who's spiritual pressure is that, Captain?!" Shūhei yelled as he and Kaname were blasted by a huge gust of wind from the power of the explosion.

"It's not known to me, but it seems to be coming from where Captain Aizen and Lieutenant Kurosaki's battle is taking place." Kaname replied calmly, not at all bothered by the gust of wind. "Come, Shūhei, we must assist Head Captain Yamamoto." He stated before disappearing with Flash Step.

Without another word, Shūhei followed Kaname with Flash Step, silently worrying about his friend, who might have fallen in battle.

* * *

"Takaoni!" Komamura roared as he crashed down on Riyan, in an attempt to split him in two.

The attack was successful, but it didn't hit Komamura's intended target. Just like the last four attempts, Riyan had swapped places with one of his Blanks, sacrificing it so that he could carry on the battle.

"Come now, Captain! You know that attack will no longer work on me!" Riyan yelled as he fired more Blanks from his rocket pack.

With a swing of his blade, Captain Komamura summoned the hand of Tenken once more, swatting the projectile Blanks away. Komamura wasn't really trying, much to his shame. He was waiting for an opening.

 _Anytime now, Shunsui, and I'll be ready…_ He thought to himself as he dodged another salvo of missiles from Riyan.

"It would appear you are stalling, Captain. Are you hoping that I'll run out of Blanks to shoot at you? I'm afraid that's not possible. Master Ganryū has–" Riyan began, before being interrupted.

"Look around you, you fool! Your portals to summon your 'Blanks' have all been sealed and almost all of these creatures have been slayed. You cannot hope to win this battle!" Komamura shouted, pointing behind Riyan, who turned to look behind him, which ultimately sealed his fate.

Before Riyan could respond, or even comprehend what had happened, he was covered by Komamura's shadow; the large Captain's shadow connecting with his own.

"Kageoni! NOW, SHUNSUI!" Komamura roared, and before Riyan could move to avoid the attack, his chest was pierced by one half of Katen Kyōkotsu.

Emerging from the intersecting shadows, Shunsui reappeared, a solemn look on his face.

"My apologies, but I couldn't drag this out any longer. Once Captain Shiba's Bankai came to an end, so too did this fight." Shunsui stated.

"Wha… How did–?" Riyan gasped, as Shunsui removed the blade from the man's chest, causing him to cough up a large amount of blood.

"It's called 'Kageoni'. It's a game where the person who's shadow gets stepped on loses. However, in Katen Kyōkotsu's version, it allows me to meld with the shadows and strike from them. All I needed was an opening, and Captain Shiba provided it for me. While you focussed on your comrade fighting her, I used Kageoni to slip into Captain Komamura's shadow and merely piggybacked off of him, until such time as Captain Shiba ended her Bankai and allowed the sun to return, creating shadows so that Captain Komamura could get close enough to use Kageoni and allow me to strike. Your overconfidence and your inability to fully pay attention to your surrounding were ultimately your downfall." Shunsui said sadly as Riyan coughed up more blood.

"An excellent strategy. I… I am honoured to have battled two such incredible warriors. I accept my defeat with grace. Farewell…" Riyan choked before he collapsed from the blood loss and fell out of the sky. He had died long before he hit the ground below.

Captain Kyōraku sealed Katen Kyōkotsu and sheathed her again, and as soon as he did, he heard an incredible explosion off in the distance. When he turned to see what had happened, he was astounded to see the explosion was black and red.

"Well, that's something you don't see every day…" Shunsui said, raising his hat to get a better view of the action.

"Who's power is that I sense? It's so dark and powerful. The spiritual pressure alone is so crushing I'm sure some of our Lieutenants would struggle to stand it. It's even greater than some Captains…" Komamura whispered, watching the black and red spirit energy burn like evil fire.

Almost as soon as the explosion occurred, the crushing spiritual pressure was gone, and with his keen eyesight, Captain Komamura saw two bodies fall out of the sky.

"No, it can't be!" Komamura yelled in shock.

"Sajin? What's wrong?!" Shunsui asked, looking at the large armoured Captain.

"Lieutenant Kurosaki has fallen…" Komamura whispered, causing Shunsui to do a double-take.

* * *

Captain Aizen lazily dodged another strike from Mue, who was now starting to get tired and incredibly frustrated. What made it worse was the fact that he knew he had no hope of winning and that both Ichigo and the Squad Five Captain were merely toying with him.

"Goddamn you, STAY STILL!" Mue cried in exhaustion and anger.

"'Stay still'? Now why would I do something like that? This is supposed to be a battle. If I was just to stay where I was and let you mortally wound me, I wouldn't be deserving of this Captain's Coat, now would I?" Aizen responded, smirking as he blocked several successive strikes from the enraged Dark One with a single hand on his sword.

"Fine! I'll just overpower you with my Blank army!" Mue shouted, a dark grin on his face. Captain Aizen merely looked at him as if he had gone mad, which wasn't wrong.

"Your Blank army? You mean those strange white creatures you've all been using since you started this invasion?" Aizen asked.

"Yes! How stupid are you?!" Mue shouted.

"I believe it is you who is the stupid one. Ichigo destroyed all your Blanks a while ago, and now the portals have been sealed by Captain Kurotsuchi, you have no reinforcements. In fact, this _was_ Ichigo's fight to begin with; I'm simply in the way. Ichigo?" Aizen said, pointing behind Mue, who turned around and saw Aizen was telling the truth.

Mue's Blank Army had indeed been eradicated by the young Lieutenant and all the portals had been sealed. When Mue turned around, all he could see were blue skies and a lone Soul Reaper holding his Zanpakutō out.

Ichigo lifted his Zanpakutō and held it up near his head and began charging spirit energy. Slowly, the blade of Tensa Zangetsu began glowing with black spirit energy, the potency of which caused Mue to begin sweating, and even had Captain Aizen concerned.

From the guard all the way up the length of the blade, black and red spirit energy was gathering, the pressure of it was increasing exponentially the longer Ichigo was charging the attack. Before unleashing the powerful spirit energy, Ichigo twisted the Zanpakutō around, causing the spirit energy to compress down at the base of the blade, taking the shape of a four-point shuriken.

" **Getsuga Tenshō!"** Ichigo roared, grinning like a monster as he discharged the destructive shuriken of spirit energy.

What surprised Captain Aizen wasn't the power behind the attack, as he had been able to accurately calculate Ichigo's growth curve, and while the strength in that Getsuga was indeed much higher than he anticipated, he knew Ichigo would become much stronger. What surprised Captain Aizen was Ichigo himself when the attack was fired; his eyes had turned gold and his voice sounded exactly like White's.

Mue couldn't hope to avoid the Shuriken-Shaped Getsuga. He simply roared in anger as the attack collided with him, imploding upon contact before exploding with an incredible force of power. The explosion created a huge gust of wind that slammed into Ichigo and Aizen, knocking them both back.

A few moments later and the gust of wind had subsided, but the black spirit energy was still clinging to the atmosphere like fire. A few seconds later, Aizen saw Mue's body fall from the middle of the chaos.

Turning to look at his Lieutenant and congratulate him on a job well done, Aizen looked in shock as he saw Ichigo drop his Zanpakutō and fall from the sky too.

Wasting no time, Aizen rushed after Ichigo, collecting his sword, which managed to burn him upon contact. Ignoring the pain, he held onto the sword and went to catch Ichigo as he fell out of the sky.

 _What happened? Did I lose?_ Ichigo thought with confusion, fighting to stay conscious.

Ichigo was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt someone grab the back of his collar. Regaining focus, he noticed Captain Aizen was holding him, preventing him from falling any further.

"Oh, Captain…" Ichigo said wearily; he was still dazed from his last attack on Mue.

"Are you alright, Ichigo? That last attack looked like it took a lot out of you." Aizen stated as he held onto Ichigo until he was able to stand on his own.

"Yeah… Yeah, it was more powerful than I thought… It was like I wasn't the one in control though. I felt like I was a spectator, not the combatant." Ichigo responded, missing the glimmer of a smirk that appeared on Aizen's face.

"We can dwell on that later, as we are not done yet; the Head Captain is still in battle. Let's go." Aizen said, putting a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and whisking him away with Flash Step.

* * *

"Oh, Captain Komamura. Shunsui. I take it you were successful in your battle since you're here." Jūshirō said when both Captains had arrived at the scene of the Head Captain's battle with Ganryū.

"Yeah, it wasn't easy, but we managed to pull through, eh Sajin?" Shunsui said with a smirk as he turned to the Squad Seven Captain.

"Indeed, but without the power of Katen Kyōkotsu, we would have been hard-pressed for victory." Komamura responded with a nod.

"Did either of you feel that monstrous spiritual pressure a while ago? That explosion was also incredibly powerful. What could have caused it?" Kaien asked, still observing the Head Captain's battle.

As soon as Captain Kurotsuchi had sealed the portals that allowed the Blanks to enter the Soul Society, Kaien, Tetsuzaemon, Chōjirō and Gin were all able to dispatch the Blanks with ease. Once they had done so, they made their way over to Jūshirō, Kenpachi and Ginrei, who had defeated the Blanks that were surrounding Ganryū and the Head Captain.

Slowly, one by one, the remaining Captains and Lieutenants all arrived to watch the Head Captain defeat Ganryū. They all knew the exiled Ryōdoji Clan Leader's fate was sealed, but they wanted Ganryū to know that no invaders could break the spirit and unity of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, or the Soul Society. For this reason, and this reason alone, all the Captains and Lieutenants stood together in a group to witness their leader crush the invasion force.

"Yes, it appeared to have come from Captain Aizen and Lieutenant Kurosaki's battle. It must have been a last resort attack for the enemy, because I didn't recognise the spiritual pressure." Jūshirō responded, causing Kaien to look at his Captain with surprise.

"Are they alright?! What happened?" Kaien asked, looking at his superiors for answers. He noticed a grim look on Shunsui's face. He was hiding something. "Captain Kyōraku?"

"Forgive me, Kaien… How do I say this? Ichigo–" Shunsui began, before he was interrupted by the sound of Flash Step.

"– is right here." Aizen finished as he and his Lieutenant arrived, the last two to join the group.

"My goodness! Lieutenant Kurosaki, you look like hell!" Nanao exclaimed, looking at Ichigo.

Ichigo had depleted a huge amount of his spirit energy, which was evident by the fact almost three quarters of the coat he got from his Bankai had been burned away. He himself was covered in dust and dirt and had a few burn marks from his proximity to the explosion he caused.

"Heh, I suffered worse to get my Bankai…" Ichigo replied dismissively. He was still incredibly exhausted and dazed, but he wasn't going to let it bother him.

"Is the Head Captain the only one left in battle?" Aizen asked as he watched the mighty Ryūjin Jakka slice through the air, narrowly missing it's mark.

"Yeah, but I'm quite certain Old Man Yama has simply been toying with his opponent. It's not like he'd have trouble with this guy." Shunsui said while smirking.

* * *

"It's over, Ganryū Ryōdoji! Your followers have all fallen and the portals used to amass your Blanks have been sealed!" The Head Captain shouted, lowering his Zanpakutō.

"Fools, the lot of them! But it means nothing to me! They were merely pawns; tools for me to use to crush the Soul Society and take back what is mine!" Ganryū yelled, raising his spear at Yamamoto.

"You really think you can defeat us? The Soul Society has never fallen to anyone, and I have faced more worthy enemies than you in my day! Look around you; my Captains and Lieutenants have gathered, and not a single one has fallen. Together, we are united. Do you really think you can stand up to that kind of power?!" Yamamoto shouted.

"I will not give up until I have taken back what the Soul Society has stolen from me! Even if it takes another thousand years!" Ganryū roared in defiance.

"You fool… You really think I'm going to let you escape? The time for games is over! I shall end this in one strike! Ryūjin Jakka; Hitotsume – Nadegiri!" The Head Captain exclaimed, lifting his blade up before taking a step forward.

The power and precision of the Head Captain's attack was so absolute, no-one have even seen it happen. Not even Shunsui or Jūshirō, who were both trained by him. One moment, the Head Captain was standing there, the next he was stood behind Ganryū. The only indication that the strike had landed was when Ganryū's body split in two and burst into flames, disintegrating as his corpse fell to earth.

With a content nod, the Head Captain sealed his Zanpakutō and sheathed it, before allowing it to return to its regular use of being his cane. He turned to his Officers before speaking a single sentence.

"I believe it is time we check on the Shihōin Family." He said before using Flash Step.

"Wow… He is really calm for a man who just bifurcated someone…" Shūhei commented.

"That is why he is our Head Captain. His power and leadership is absolute; there is very little in this world that can shake him. Why would an invasion of five people and a few mindless creatures be enough to bother him?" Kaname said as he turned to Shūhei.

"I guess you have a point, Captain…" Shūhei responded as Kaname nodded and beckoned Shūhei to follow.

"Well, I guess we better go see if Lady Yukiko and Master Yūshirō are alright. Come along, my dear Nanao." Shunsui said as he and Jūshirō followed the Head Captain, with Nanao and Kaien following close behind.

"Yes, I do believe we should go and see exactly why Captain Soifon did not join us in this battle. I shall be most disappointed if it was because she believes her duty to Lady Shihōin outweighs that of her duty as a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." Ginrei stated as he disappeared with Flash Step.

One by one, all Captains and Lieutenants left the skies to head down to the Shihōin Manor in order to make sure Yukiko, Yūshirō and Rurichiyo were all safe.

* * *

As soon as all the Officers arrived on the ground, they were escorted inside to check on Lady Yukiko. Once they had all congregated in the main foyer, they heard shouting and the sound of doors slamming.

"Captain, wait!" Ōmaeda shouted, running after Soifon, who had slammed a door in the fat man's face.

"Shut up, Marechiyo, and stop calling me that! You heard what Lady Yukiko said in there!" Soifon growled as she stormed into the main foyer, unaware of the presence of the Head Captain and the other Captains and Lieutenants.

"Don't be like that, Captain. I'm sure she didn't mean it! I think it was just shock from everything that's happened." Ōmaeda suggested weakly.

"Are you questioning Lady Yukiko's authority?" Soifon asked dangerously. "She wasn't in shock, she knew what she was doing! All of this because some bastard thinks he can do my job better than me!"

"Captain Soifon!" The Head Captain yelled, surprising the petite Captain. "What is the meaning of this?! Where is Yukiko Shihōin?"

"She is in the garden with Master Yūshirō and Lady Rurichiyo." Soifon stated, bowing to the Head Captain.

"I see, and would you like to explain to me why your presence was not noted during the battle?" Yamamoto asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Forgive me, sir… I had intended on joining you as soon as I had made sure Lady Yukiko was safe, but she demanded to speak with me." Soifon explained.

"Are you saying you deemed a conversation to be more important than protecting the Soul Society?" The Head Captain asked, focusing a small fraction of his spiritual pressure on Soifon. It was enough to cause her to sweat profusely.

"N-No, sir! I… All my life, I have been raised as a servant of the Shihōin Family. I am to do whatever they ask of me, regardless of circumstance." Soifon responded shakily.

"Very well, I'll bite; just what was so important that it could not wait until _after_ we crushed our enemies?" Yamamoto asked, his gaze not leaving Soifon for a second.

"I… Well…" Soifon began before sighing; a defeated look on her face. "Lady Yukiko demands I relinquish my position of Commander of the Stealth Force forthwith. Along with my Captaincy."

"What?! Such a harsh request! Can a noble even demand such a thing, Master Genryūsai?" Jūshirō asked, looking from Soifon to Yamamoto.

"In this circumstance, yes. The Stealth Force has been partnered with Squad Two, ever since Yoruichi Shihōin was named Captain a long time ago. As Yukiko Shihōin is the Clan Matriarch, she holds the power to make any and all decisions regarding to her Stealth Force… By all rights, since the Stealth Force is combined with Squad Two, whoever takes control of the Stealth Force becomes the Captain of Squad Two." Yamamoto explained.

"So, who's now in control of the Stealth Force? Isn't Master Yūshirō too young to lead such an undertaking?" Komamura asked.

"Lady Yukiko has already made that decision… And it's not Master Yūshirō." Soifon mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Then who is it? Speak, girl!" Ginrei snapped, growing tired of Soifon's games.

"Him." Soifon simply stated, pointing to Ichigo.

"Heh… Well things just keep getting interesting…" Shunsui chuckled, earning a slap on the arm from Nanao.

"What, me? Why?" Ichigo asked, struggling to process what just happened.

"Well, he certainly ticks all the boxes. I mean, he _is_ currently in his Bankai state, so there's no question about him having one." Jūshirō stated.

"Agreed, and I'm sure every Captain would vouch for him and his abilities." Ginrei added.

"What is your decision, Head Captain? It is you who has the final say." Komamura said, looking to Yamamoto.

"Under these circumstances, it is not I who has the final say, Captain Komamura. It was Lady Yukiko Shihōin's decision, and all I am able to do is enforce such a choice. Ultimately, it is now down to Lieutenant Kurosaki as to whether or not he wants to accept the role as Captain of Squad Two and Commander of the Stealth Force. Ichigo Kurosaki! Step forward!" Yamamoto declared.

With a look to Captain Aizen, who simply nodded in encouragement, Ichigo approached the Head Captain and stood before him.

"Do you accept the role of Captaining Squad Two along with running the Stealth Force, as recommended by Lady Yukiko Shihōin?" Yamamoto asked, his gaze not leaving Ichigo.

Ichigo stood there for a moment, still trying to process what was happening. He was having a massive rush of thoughts all at once. His meeting with Captain Aizen after Kumoi's assassination. His training for Bankai over the past three days. His encounter with Yukiko in the hot spring and the comforts that followed. All this, however, ended in but a single thought; advice he had received from Captain Aizen before all of this began.

 _I'd hate for your career as a Soul Reaper to come to a grinding halt because you told her 'No'._

"Yes, Head Captain. I accept." Ichigo stated, looking Yamamoto in the eye.

"Very well. Since this isn't the time or place for such an event, and given how this turn of events has come about, we shall halt all proceedings until we can hold the proper ceremony in three days' time. Captain Soifon, you have until then to get your affairs in order and relinquish your Captaincy. Is that clear?" Yamamoto declared as he turned to look at Soifon.

"Yes, sir." Soifon said with a bow.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Ōmaeda shouted, getting everyone's attention. "As the Lieutenant of Squad Two, don't I get a say in this?"

"No!" Both Yamamoto and Soifon shouted.

"But Captain!" Ōmaeda wailed. "I've been your Lieutenant for years now! I refuse to serve some punk kid who thinks he can do my Captain's job better than her! If she leaves, then so do I!"

"Pfft, fine. That just makes it easier for me to kick your ass to the kerb and find someone _worthy_ of being Lieutenant." Ichigo scoffed, earning a chuckle from Shunsui, who was immediately silenced by Nanao. Again.

"Hey, if you want, you can be my Lieutenant, Soifon! You're a really good candidate for the job!" Gin suggested, earning a glare from the _former_ Squad Two Captain.

"Bite me, Ichimaru!" Soifon snapped.

"Ooh, kinky! I'm afraid I must decline; you're not my type." Gin smirked.

"On the subject of Captains and Lieutenants…" Kaname began, turning to Shūhei. "Squad Nine, Tenth Seat; Shūhei Hisagi. I have decided to name you as my Lieutenant. Do you accept?"

"Of course, Captain Tōsen! Thank you, sir!" Shūhei shouted in surprise, bowing to his Captain. "I won't let you down!"

"Well, well, well… Today certainly has been full of surprises. I believe this is as good a reason as any to start drinking. Who's keen to join me? Jūshirō? Captain Komamura? Or how about you, soon-to-be Captain Kurosaki?" Shunsui asked, looking at his fellow Captains.

"Yes, why not? I need a bit of downtime after today. What do you say, Kaien?" Jūshirō asked, looking to his Lieutenant.

"I don't see the harm in it. How about it; Ichigo? Miyako?" Kaien said, looking to his cousin then his wife.

"Ah, what the hell. I'm in!" Ichigo smirked.

"Yes, I'll join you too. After today, I need it." Miyako said with a smile.

"Oooh, I'm in too! I'm always down for some booze and some fun!" Rangiku added excitedly.

"No, you will not. As I recall, you still have lots of paperwork to do, and don't think I've forgotten about you skipping out on Morning Drills either." Miyako stated, watching the smile fall from Rangiku's face.

"Aww, c'mon Captain! Don't be like that!" She pouted.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Matsumoto, but while I am a kind and caring Captain, I am also fair and will not allow my subordinates to shirk their responsibilities." Miyako said firmly.

"I'll make sure she gets her work done, Captain Shiba." Nanao added, walking over to Rangiku.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Ise; I shall make sure Captain Kyōraku doesn't drink too much." Miyako responded with a smile.

"Come on, Rangiku. You have a lot of work to do." Nanao said as she and Rangiku disappeared with Flash Step before the Squad Ten Lieutenant could protest.

"Forgive me, Captain Kyōraku, but I must decline your generous offer of a social affair with my fellow Captains. I have much to do." Komamura said with a bow.

"Not to worry, Captain. Nonetheless, it was a pleasure to team up with you today. We should do it more often." Shunsui said with a smirk.

"Indeed, but I'd rather not have to fight off an invasion every week. I prefer times of peace, not war." Sajin replied.

"Don't we all? Well, my friends, shall we be off? My Squad has wonderful cherry blossom and plum blossom trees that are starting to bloom. I believe that would be the perfect place to have a drink and share a few laughs." Shunsui stated with a large grin.

"Lead the way, Shunsui." Jūshirō said with a smile.

With a bow to Yamamoto and the rest of the Captains, Shunsui and Jūshirō both left to go to Squad Eight; with Kaien and Miyako doing the same before they followed.

Before Ichigo could leave, Captain Aizen came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"When you get a chance, I'd like to talk to you before you take up your new role, _Captain_." Aizen said with a warm smile.

"Of course, Captain." Ichigo nodded before he also left to join Jūshirō, Shunsui and his cousins.

 _I believe it's time to have another meeting and discuss next steps…_ Aizen thought to himself before glancing at Gin, who nodded.

One by one, all the Captains and Lieutenants left the Shihōin Manor, leaving Soifon and Marechiyo on their own.

"Captain…?" Marechiyo whispered.

"Leave, Ōmaeda…" Soifon replied quietly.

"But–" Marechiyo began to protest.

"I SAID LEAVE!" Soifon yelled, turning to look at the fat man. She was fighting hard to hold back tears that were threatening to fall.

Without another word, Ōmaeda left Soifon, who was now alone in the main foyer of the Shihōin Manor. After a few moments of silence, she too left the Shihōin Manor and returned to her office in the Squad Two Barracks.

Soifon was an agent of the Stealth Force; all her life had been spent honing her skills and turning her into a master assassin. Her position was never to become the Commander of the Stealth Force, merely to serve whoever held that position; which was most likely a Shihōin. She had exceeded all expectations that her family had set for her in life and created a legacy for the Fon Clan.

As a member of the Stealth Force, she had been taught that success of a mission was the ultimate goal and that if you were not willing to sacrifice your life to succeed, then you were not worthy. She had also been taught that emotions inhibit performance and that you should never show them. As the Commander of the Stealth Force, she drilled this fact into all her subordinates. She had been given a reputation as the harshest Captain in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, but that was a compliment to her; it meant she was doing her job properly.

However, in that moment where she had been stripped of all she had achieved, everything she had worked so hard for ever since Yoruichi had abandoned her to save Kisuke all those years ago… The amount of hard work she put into getting stronger, achieving Bankai, becoming a Captain, all the years of hard work, dedication and self-sacrifice she had poured into becoming stronger both mentally and physically, only to have it a taken away in the blink of an eye… It broke her.

Clenching her fists, she let out a shaky breath and simply let the tears flow. As soon as she broke down one emotional wall, the others began to collapse easily. The breath was knocked out of her lungs as she collapsed to her knees, her entire body shaking.

She tried as best as she could to regain control of her breathing, but that only led her to remain focussed on her inability to do so, which just made everything worse. With one attempt to take in a breath, she unwillingly let out a small sob, which was the straw that broke the camel's back for Soifon.

With tears streaming down her face, Soifon fell to the floor and began to sob uncontrollably. The realisation that she had lost everything had become too much for her to deal with. For the rest of the day, Soifon remained on the floor in her office, crying until she could no longer find the strength or willpower to continue.

* * *

"Good evening, gentlemen. It would appear we have progress." Aizen said, addressing Gin and Kaname, as he descended the stairway into his hideout.

"You mean the boy's Inner Hollow is become more prevalent?" Kaname asked.

"I believe so. When I was observing his Bankai training, it looked as if his Hollow Powers had fused perfectly with his Soul Reaper Powers. Not only that, but when battling today, the attack he used which caused that explosion had a spiritual pressure signature that was similar to that of my Espadas. However, there's more; just before the attack it seemed that, only for a second, his Hollow had taken over his body." Aizen stated.

"Then what does this mean, Captain Aizen? Will we be moving sooner than expected?" Gin asked.

"No, no… We will carry on observing, but it seems like we will need to formulate a plan to seize Kisuke Urahara's Hōgyoku sooner rather than later." Aizen replied. "How are things in Hueco Mundo, Kaname?"

"Sir, I recently received word from Ulquiorra that a Vasto Lorde Hollow has been detected near the Menos Forest. How do you wish to proceed? Shall I send Ulquiorra to subdue it?" Kaname asked.

"I think I'll handle this matter, Kaname. Since Baraggan and Ulquiorra are our only Vasto Lorde Class Arrancar, I can't risk them being taken by surprise and getting killed." Aizen responded with a thin smile.

"As you wish, sir." Kaname said, bowing respectfully.

"The coming days are going to be very interesting, gentlemen. Now that Ichigo is a Captain, if we can turn him, we'll have four Captains defecting and that will be an even bigger blow to the Soul Society." Aizen said, putting his hands together as he began to map out various scenarios and plans in his head.

* * *

 **A/N; Well, that's the end of that Chapter! It was, by far, my longest one so far, but it was because I didn't want to split the battle into multiple Chapters and the ending needed to be part of this Chapter, as it would have been pointless making a new one to do it. You should know by now that I'm all about Character Development, so if I deem it important enough, I will make my Chapter 20k words long, but it's unlikely it'll come to that.**

 **Like I said, I'm all about Character development, meaning the quality of my work will probably suffer when I focus on Battles (as we saw with Chapter 5, but we won't talk about that mess). That's why I wanted to change the perspective as much as I could without making the whole thing seem 'stale'. I don't know if I achieved that goal, but that's up to you to decide.**

 **Let's be real here, Captain Zaraki's battle was over in a flash because he's that fucking strong, and since he's not the best at examining spiritual pressure, he tends to overestimate his opponent's strength. Kaname's battle wasn't really touched on because we know what his powers can do; his Shikai emits a ringing noise that incapacitates his foes and his Bankai removes his opponent's senses from the battle. Sure, he has his Benihikō, but that's about it, so I thought 'Fuck it, I'll just have him use his Enma Kōrogi and be done with it'.**

 **Those two were over quickly because there's no sub-plot to their battles, I suppose the same goes for Shunsui's battle, but I wanted to add that in for detail just to explain Katen Kyōkotsu's power to a better extent than the Anime, as I felt the explanation was left lacking somewhat.**

 **Miyako, Miyako, Miyako… Were you all impressed with her Bankai? I made it myself and I called it 'Lady of Shadows; Creeping Phantom's Marionette'. I literally used Google Translate to give me the Japanese pronunciation, so if it's wrong, someone tell me so I can change it. I know GT to be unreliable at the best of times. The name, as well as her trio of attacks were inspired by 'Motionless In White' and their 'Puppets Trilogy' which are three songs over three albums that have the name 'Puppets'. The first one is 'Puppets (The First Snow)', followed by 'Puppets 2 (The Rain)' and topped off by 'Puppets 3 (The Grand Finale)'. So, the names aren't exactly original, but since I'm telling you they weren't my idea (The names, I mean; the actual attacks were), it's not stealing or illegal. But, since I'm sure some people just like to be dicks, I'll put this… Ahem… *DISCLAIMER* The names of the attacks of Miyako's Bankai are not my own, but taken from songs by 'Motionless In White'. I do not own the names and I take no credit for them! Are we happy now?**

 **I'm sure we all know why Ichigo's battle was significant; to show his Hollow Powers awakening and all that. Plus it was to show off his newly acquired Bankai, so there's that. There's really nothing more to say about that, aside from the fact it was used to show he's strong enough to become a Captain.**

 **So, yeah… The Ryōdoji Family are now gone for good, Ichigo has become a Captain and Soifon has lost everything. The bit with Soifon I was especially pleased with. Why? If you're asking that, where have you been since I started this Fic? CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, YO! I thought it would be good to have an inside look at Soifon and not just paint her as some angry little Chinese girl who hates Yoruichi for abandoning her. I wanted to show that the Stealth Force is her life. For her to lose everything she worked hard for, it's enough to destroy even the strongest people.**

 **BONUS ROUND; I wonder who that Vasto Lorde Hollow Kaname mentioned could be? Now, I'm not saying it's Halibel, but it's Halibel. With that being said though, I'm sure you all know I have a penchant for throwing curveballs at you, so how do you know I'm telling the truth?**

 **Speaking of curveballs, how do you like the surprise that Ichigo's Bankai isn't his** _ **true**_ **Bankai, even though I featured that in my last Chapter? I bet I confused you all. Oh, by the by, his appearance in Bankai takes the form of his Bankai at the end of the Fullbring Arc, just in case you weren't aware.**

 **That aside, the next chapter is going to have a bit of a time skip, it'll simply be for progression of story, as it'll bring Momo, Renji, Rukia and Izuru into the fold, which means I can do more character development that I love so much. I don't even know why I keep saying it, I'm sure you all know that's the reason for 99.99% of things that happen in my story… Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you know what I mean.**

 **Again, thank you to all who review, favourite and/or follow my story. The support means a lot.**

 **Oh, one more thing; My story has now exceeded the 200k Word Mark! How exciting! I have a feeling that my story is going to hit well over the 1M Word Mark before we're done, making it the longest Bleach Fanfic on the site (And the only one with a 1M+ Word Count (I hope))! I WANT THAT ACCOLADE! DON'T RUIN IT FOR ME!**

 **I think I've covered all that I need to cover, so I'm just going to jump in with the Reviews.**

 **Frozenhood; Ah, it's cool. I'm just going to give it time and maybe once I start the Arrancar Arc, things will pick up. Until then, I'm just happy I have fans that love my work! I do this for you guys, not for me.**

 **Naruto; Thanks again. I'm not going to stop until I'm done, so I hope you're gonna be sticking with me while I write this. I hope you keep enjoying what I do.**

 **Zaraki Jaegerjaquez; Don't worry, man. I'll always put disclaimers for any and all Lemons I write. I know there are some who aren't into that stuff, so I'll always mark it. Ever considered I've already got plans in mind for Nnoitra and how he treats women? Yes, Grimmjow hates him for what he did to Nel, Dordoni is concerned about Cirucci, but doesn't know what's happening (We shall see him start to investigate soon), Ulquiorra thinks he's disgustingly inappropriate, Gin and Kaname don't like him for the same reasons as Ulquiorra (Gin thinks he's also creepy and Kaname detests him because of how he treats women). Halibel doesn't hate, she just simply keeps her girls away from him to keep them safe. Her girls hate him though. With all the powerful new additions to Aizen's Espada, he won't really care about losing Nnoitra. He pretended not to care about Nel, but he was furious deep down. We'll see how all this unfolds later on down the line.**

 **FindingProvidence; Well, no. I threw another curveball! Allow me to explain. The reason I used Ichigo's** _ **true**_ **Bankai in the training is because he drew White out with the training dummy. Since White is the** _ **real**_ **Zangetsu, that stands to reason his true form should be the Bankai from the Manga. However, that doesn't mean Ichigo knows White is Zangetsu and Zangetsu is Yhwach from 1,000 Years ago, which means his Bankai is the one we've seen in the Anime. I thought that would be a cool thing to do, so I went with it. I wonder if we can break your record again, I think we can! I love keeping up with my readers and responding to them. If you can find the time to leave a review, I should be able to find the time to respond; it's the least I can do. Yes, all of Ichigo's friends were secretly into him. From what I've seen and been told, some girls tend to dig the whole 'dark, brooding, mysterious' kinda guy. SOME GIRLS. Alright, ladies? I cannot stress that enough, I know not all of you girls like that type of guy, so don't get angry at me for it. Anyway, back to the point; they're all secretly into him, but since they all know Orihime loves him, they kinda back off from him. The exception is Chizuru, because she's a lesbian, but since she knows Ichigo makes Orihime happy and all Chizuru wants is a happy Orihime, that's why she's so intent on getting to see him. When it comes time to enter the Soul Society, there will be some interesting plots to happen, and even down the line after Ichigo becomes and Arrancar and all that shit. I wanted to turn the 'Keigo Hate' into 'Keigo Love' and to do that, I'll have to make him a badass. He'll still be annoying at times (I'll never take that away from him, it makes him fun to write), but he's gonna be pretty cool with his new powers, once he controls them. Don't be ashamed that you didn't pick up on things like that. I'm a master of subterfuge. I always make things look incredibly obvious then they turn out to be nothing like you were expecting, but with Kumoi it was an easy thing to do. That being said, the members of the Ryōdoji Family are more than likely OOC, but that's because I've seen the movie once or twice, and I couldn't remember their mannerisms properly. That aside, you'll see just how deep my subterfuge runs when we get into the story even more. It's going to blow you all away! I am quite similar to you; I'm good at Chemistry and things like that, but I'm also pretty good with words. No idea how, because I swear like a motherfucker and people tell me that makes me less intelligent. Well, that's alright, I have an IQ of 142, so I can afford to lose a few points. Humble bragging aside, I honestly don't know why I'm good with words or writing. I guess it's one of life's mysteries. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm sorry I haven't paragraphed your reply, but when I do that it just looks weird because I space out responses to different people, and it looks like I'm responding to fifty people when I'm only responding to one, so sorry about that. If it's an issue, please tell me and I'll try and restructure my layout to better accommodate paragraphing.**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; Good, that makes things easier in the long run. I hope this Chapter has the same quality as the others and it was just as good. The IchigoxYukiko Lemon will be happening soon, I'll just need to find a way to implement it. I have a few ideas, but I'll need to think on it, as the way I've written everything so far, it's kinda difficult just to splice in and have it look right. So, we'll see how it goes. You know what they say; no good story goes without drama. If Ichigo and Yukiko are fucking (which they are), Momo's bound to find out, because why wouldn't she? DRAMA! Good, the Keigo Love is starting. Keep it going!**

 **TR4PP3R; Wouldn't that just be stealing that person's idea? I'm not the sort of person to just use another person's idea simply because I don't know how to go about things. I'll come up with something though…**

 **Mugetsu – Moonless Sky; I'm pleased you liked my rendition of the Hot Springs Scene. I thought it flowed quite nicely, so I'm glad someone enjoyed it. I don't know what you mean about the Zanpakutō, but I'm assuming you mean the whole 'Once a Bankai is broken, it can never be fixed' thing. I thought that was bullshit because Renji's Bankai was destroyed several times, yet he still used it. In saying that, I thought it was fucking stupid how Yhwach kept breaking Tensa Zangetsu and Ichigo was able to fix it, only to have the bastard break it again. I thought that was just poor writing, but if that's due to Kubo having a time limit to finish his work, then I can sympathise to a degree. That aside, people will always find something to complain about, man. That's just what people do. I put it down to jealousy, in the sense that people can't come up with something that they know is incredible, so all they do is criticise it to make themselves here. Oh, and Captain Ichi is here, bitches.**

 **AnimeA55Kicker; I never said it'd be good. I literally have no idea what I'm doing; I have no experience to go off, so assume it'll be terrible until I get some practice in. As for the whole 'I fucked your mom' response; I have no idea how to incorporate that into the story, but it doesn't mean I won't try. I like a challenge.**

 **Well, another Chapter down, and another end for me. I'll be back soon (Hopefully with a new Chapter in a day or two).**

 **Until then, stay safe and have a good time!**

 **Pastasaurus out!**


	17. Forward We March

Chapter Seventeen – Forward We March

 **DISCLAIMER; Yeah, look, I'm just gonna jump right into it and say it; this Chapter features a Lemon and is not recommended for young viewers. I shall mark it, so that those of you who do not like/want to read Lemons may skip past it.**

 _Soul Society – Ten Years After The Failed Ryōdoji Invasion_

Ichigo sighed as he signed off on another training report. Being a Captain had its perks, but paperwork certainly wasn't one of them. Even though he had spent the last decade in charge of Squad Two, he still couldn't get used to the sheer amount of paperwork. He was silently thankful his Lieutenant was so helpful.

Ichigo was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a knock outside his office.

"Come in!" He called out from behind his desk.

The door opened to reveal a large walking stack of papers. To be more accurate, it was Ichigo's Lieutenant, carrying a large stack of papers.

"Here are last month's reports, Captain. All filed and organised by date and category." His Lieutenant said, as he carefully placed the reports next to his desk.

"Heh, you're a good Lieutenant. Have I ever told you that, Tōshirō?" Ichigo said with a smile.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya had ended up attending the Soul Reaper Academy three years after the Ryōdoji Invasion and graduated after just two years; at the same time as Momo, Izuru and Renji. Almost two years after that, Ichigo had approached him and offered him the position of Squad Two Lieutenant.

Tōshirō was more than happy to accept Ichigo's offer. Ever since they met in the Rukon almost twelve years ago, Tōshirō had always looked up to Ichigo. Not only that, but being the Lieutenant of Squad Two was a much better position than being the Third Seat of Squad Ten. Ichigo never pushed his paperwork on to him, unlike Rangiku, who did it almost all the time.

"Yeah, you tell me that every time I come by with my paperwork." Tōshirō said with a smirk.

"I say it because I mean it. You should know that much about me, considering I've been a Captain for ten years. Especially after all that's happened since I took the Captain's Seat." Ichigo smirked.

Ever since Ichigo was formally inducted as the Captain of Squad Two, his time as Captain hadn't been without its hiccups. From the start there were many members of the Stealth Force that were loyal only to Soifon and refused to accept Ichigo's position of power. To say the Squad's morale was strained would be putting it mildly.

After Ichigo took over as Supreme Commander of the Stealth Force, the squad itself was divided. One side had no issues with Ichigo being put in charge, as it was Lady Yukiko Shihōin who had recommended him for the job. Not only that, but who were they to question the decision of the Shihōin Family Matriarch?

The other side, however, were loyal only to Soifon. After Yoruichi had abandoned her post and Soifon took over, the Stealth Force became one of the most well run Squads in the Soul Society. They didn't care that Soifon was incredibly harsh, they knew she was effective. When they learned Ichigo would be taking over, they feared things would become slack and return to the lazier days, not unlike when Yoruichi was in command.

It took him several years, but he was eventually able to exert dominance over the entire Squad. Initially, he had struggled with the radical changes in personality he had to go through between work and social events, but he managed to find a balance.

"Yeah, if anyone knows that well enough it's Momo. I'm surprised you two are still together, Captain." Tōshirō commented, standing in front of Ichigo's desk.

"Honestly, I don't know if we are at times. What with us being Seated Officers in different Squads, we have different duties to fulfil, so we barely see each other." Ichigo sighed.

After Momo, Izuru and Renji all graduated, they ended up following in Ichigo's footsteps and joined Squad Five. After a few years of dedication to their work, Momo and Izuru were promoted to Lieutenant of Squad Five and Squad Three respectively, with Izuru having spent a couple years with Captain Unohana in Squad Four.

Renji, on the other hand, struggled to settle in at Squad Five and after an altercation between him and Captain Aizen's Third Seat had turned violent, Renji was transferred to Squad Eleven, where he was currently Zaraki's Sixth Seat.

Ever since Momo became Aizen's new Lieutenant, both her and Ichigo's paths hardly crossed. While Momo was free of her duties, Ichigo was running drills with the Stealth Force. While Ichigo was free of his duties, Momo either had paperwork to do, or was attending Lieutenant's Meetings. Were it not for Tōshirō, they probably would have ended a long time ago.

 _Would that be such a bad thing?_ The thought was expelled from Ichigo's mind as quickly as it came. He cared for Momo, but sometimes his actions would speak otherwise.

Like regularly sleeping with Yukiko Shihōin, for example.

For the past ten years, Ichigo and Yukiko had been having a secret relationship that no-one knew about. She had been interested in pursuing Ichigo the night she met him at the Kuchiki's Summer Equinox Party and the first time they had sex was the night before the Ryōdoji invaded, when they were together in the hot spring.

Ever since then, the pair would regularly meet and sleep together, and if they were together during a Noble's Party, they would sneak away for a while and find a quiet place to have sex.

Yukiko believed you were only as young as you felt and having secret, sexual relationships with someone that was incredibly young made her feel like a rebellious teenager, much like her daughter.

While Ichigo wasn't necessarily bothered about getting caught, as no-one could challenge his authority as Captain, what with the fact that it was forbidden for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to get involved with the affairs of Nobles, he still had a reputation to uphold and that was what was most important.

If the other Captains found out about his relationship with Yukiko, he'd lose their respect. Shunsui might be a different story, but the likes of Unohana, Ginrei, Miyako and Jūshirō were good enough reasons to keep it secret.

If the Captains found out, then so would the Lieutenants and while most of the males would be impressed, Kaien would be disappointed, Nanao would be furious and Yachiru would be just as angry.

Yachiru, being the Chairwoman of the Women's Soul Reaper Association, always looked after her members and swore vengeance upon those who would harm her girls. Ichigo would be Public Enemy Number One, since Momo was a member, and if Yachiru was after him, then Zaraki would be too.

The one who would be most affected by finding out about Ichigo and Yukiko would be Soifon. She already disliked Ichigo for everything that happened to her. If she found out he was, in her words 'defiling Lady Yukiko', she would stop at nothing to end him.

Speaking of Soifon…

"You can stop eavesdropping, Soifon! We're not discussing anything of great importance." Ichigo yelled out, sighing as he heard Soifon's angry growl.

When Ichigo took the Captain's Seat, he had offered the Lieutenant's position to Soifon, as she was the previous Captain and Stealth Force Commander for a reason. Soifon took it as Ichigo pitying her and refused, demanding to be an unseated Member of the Stealth Force, as she was with Yoruichi.

In Ichigo's mind, she demanded this role so that he wouldn't pay her any mind and so she could use her skills from her time as Captain to eavesdrop and try and find something to dig up on Ichigo, but she never succeeded in finding anything, and after a few years, Ichigo was able to easily detect Soifon's presence.

He recently offered her the position of Assistant Adjutant or Third Seat, which she reluctantly accepted, but her attempts on exposing him for some 'evil-doer' didn't stop. Ichigo ended up making a game out of it, which would just anger Soifon even more.

"You'd think she'd learn by now that she can't sneak up on you…" Tōshirō muttered, shaking his head.

"I heard that, Hitsugaya!" Soifon shouted from outside.

"That's Lieutenant Hitsugaya to you!" Tōshirō shouted in annoyance.

"Bite me, you shrimp!" Soifon yelled.

"Excuse me?! That is _not_ how you talk to your Lieutenant!" Tōshirō yelled angrily.

"Ah, leave her be, Tōshirō. She just does it to annoy you." Ichigo replied lazily.

Tōshirō simply growled in annoyance as he sat down in a chair next to Ichigo's desk.

"So, what have you got planned for tonight? Going to keep an eye on Captain Kyōraku while Nanao is at her Women's Soul Reaper Association Meeting?" Tōshirō asked.

"Nah, I think Kaien and Jūshirō have that pleasure tonight. I really don't know what I'm doing. I finished all my paperwork before you arrived." Ichigo sighed as he lay back in his chair before a thought crossed his mind. "Actually, I have an important thing I need to take care of. Captain's business. I'll be back later."

Before Tōshirō could respond, Ichigo had stood up and left the office via Flash Step. Tōshirō merely shook his head and left the office, hoping he'd be able to see Momo after her club meeting.

Ichigo took off into the night, using his skills from his time as the Commander of the Stealth Force to mask his presence as he ran across the roofs of the buildings in the Seireitei. After about five minutes, he arrived at his destination; the Shihōin Manor.

Smirking, Ichigo used Flash Step and slipped past the guards who had no idea he visited frequently.

* * *

Dordoni was starting to become worried. He hadn't seen Cirucci in a very long time. Every time he went by her Palace to check on her, her doors were locked. Being a Privaron Espada, Dordoni was highly perceptive; he had noticed the hinges on her doors had been broken off and reattached several times and the door itself had been kicked in but repaired.

He decided to do something about it. Walking down the halls of Las Noches, he entered the Palace of fellow Privaron Espada, Gantenbainne Mosqueda.

"Ohhhh, Gantenbaiiiiiiinnnnnneeeee!" Dordoni called out as he danced his way into Gantenbainne's Palace.

"Hey, Dordoni. What up, man?" Gantenbainne asked, waving to his fellow Arrancar from his bed.

"Have you seen Niña? I haven't seen her in a very long time. I'm growing worried." Dordoni said.

"Who, Cirucci? Nah, man… Haven't seen her in a long time. I didn't really think much of it. We go ages without even speaking, so I didn't really think there was a problem. What's got you worried, man?" Gantenbainne asked.

"Long time ago, I went to see her, only to find her in her room, with the tears running down her pretty face. They were the tears of sadness too. She seemed terrified of me, which is not like her at all." Dordoni explained.

"Wow, yeah… That's not like her. When did you last see her? Maybe we should go check on her?" Gantenbainne suggested.

"I have tried, but her doors are always locked. But it looks like someone has tried breaking in. Shall we inform Lord Aizen?" Dordoni asked.

"Tch, doubt that'll work. You know Lord Aizen is too busy in the Soul Society, preparing for his return to Las Noches. Besides, we Privaron Espada aren't as important to him." Gantenbainne stated with a slight scowl.

"What are you saying?" Dordoni asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I just mean Lord Aizen doesn't really care what we do now he has his new Espada. We can do whatever we please and he won't mind. I don't think he'll be all too concerned if Cirucci has spent the last couple years in her Palace." Gantenbainne stated.

"Hmm, I suppose you are right… Well, how about we go to the new Espada? Master Ulquiorra is a reasonable one. Maybe he'll help?" Dordoni suggested.

"What about that new Espada; the one who replaced Master Nel?" Gantenbainne said, earning a nod from Dordoni.

"Ah, Master Halibel? I suppose that would be a good idea. She always seems so protective of her Fracción, maybe she would be willing to look into this for us?" Dordoni said.

"Yeah, man… How about you go speak to her, and I'll find Master Ulquiorra." Gantenbainne said, standing up from his bed.

"Alright, I'll go do that. I hope Niña is alright…" Dordoni said as they both left Gantenbainne's palace to go find their respective Espada Masters.

* * *

Ulquiorra was silently reading when he heard a knock on his door. Curious, he placed the book down carefully before getting up and going over to the door.

"Gantenbainne? What are you doing here?" Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow, silently surprised to see the Privaron Espada at his door.

"Have you got a minute, Master Ulquiorra? I gotta talk with you…" Gantenbainne asked, bowing in respect to the Cuarto Espada.

Taking a step to the side and holding his arm out, Ulquiorra invited Gantenbainne into his room.

"What's the matter, Gantenbainne?" Ulquiorra asked emotionlessly.

"Have you seen Cirucci recently? According to Dordoni, he hasn't seen her in a very long time; years by the sounds of it. He's getting concerned." Gantenbainne began.

"What about you? We both know Dordoni can be a little… Eccentric." Ulquiorra responded flatly.

"Personally, I don't really know. Maybe she's locked herself in her palace while she undergoes some special training; I know she misses being an Espada. Maybe Dordoni just comes along at the wrong time and she's either not there or busy." Gantenbainne replied.

"Then why are you here? By the sounds of it, there shouldn't be any cause for concern." Ulquiorra sighed.

"I agree, but Dordoni told me something that made me think it's more to this than I first thought." Gantenbainne stated, causing Ulquiorra to look at him as a sign to continue. "The last time Dordoni saw her, she was crying and was apparently terrified of him."

"That is most unusual. However, I don't think such actions warrant investigation. If you want my advice, just leave it and if we don't see her when Lord Aizen returns, bring it up with Director General Tōsen. I'm sure he'll look into it for you… Unless you intend on asking someone else?" Ulquiorra looked at Gantenbainne, who looked at Ulquiorra with shock.

"H-How did you know?" Gantenbainne asked.

"You mentioned Dordoni was concerned. Not once did you mention that you were concerned. Where is Dordoni now?" Ulquiorra asked.

"He's gone to ask Master Halibel for help. She looks after her Fracción like they are her children; Dordoni seems to think she looks after all female Hollows and might be willing to help out." Gantenbainne said.

"Very well… Just don't go making too much of a commotion. I like to read in peace." Ulquiorra stated as he went back to his desk and picked up his book and lay down on his bed once more.

Without another word, Gantenbainne bowed to Ulquiorra and left, closing the door behind him.

"Well, at least he knows how to close a door properly…" Ulquiorra mumbled.

* * *

Dordoni knocked on the door of Halibel's room and awaited a response. A second later the door swung open and Dordoni found himself looking at a short girl with blue hair and two different coloured eyes; one red and one blue.

"What the hell do you want?!" The girl shouted, glaring at Dordoni.

"Oh, my apologies, niña. I was looking for Master Halibel. It seems I'm in the wrong place. Good day to you!" Dordoni said with a bow as he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Dordoni stopped as he heard a second voice call out to him. "You're looking for Master Halibel?"

Dordoni turned back to the door and found himself looking at another short girl. This one, however, had long, olive green hair and lavender eyes. She had a robe on which had very long sleeves, one of which was held up to her face, covering her mouth.

"Yes, niña. I was under the impression that this was her palace." Dordoni responded.

"It is, but I've never seen you before. Who are you?" The girl asked.

"Ah, forgive my manners, niña! I am Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio!" Dordoni announced proudly, bowing deeply.

"Hey, she asked for your name, not your life story!" The blue haired girl shouted, pushing the green haired girl away from the door.

"Apacci! Don't be rude!" The green haired girl said in a huff.

"Shut up, Sung-Sun!" Apacci growled, glaring at Sung-Sun.

"Apacci. Sung-Sun. What's going on out here?" A stern voice called out from behind the door.

"Oh, Master Halibel! Some guy wants to talk to you!" Apacci stated as she ducked back into the room.

As the door opened fully, Dordoni found himself looking at a tall woman with dark skin and short, scruffy blonde hair. She was wearing a long-sleeved jacket that exposed her stomach, but hid the lower half of her face. A short, wide sword was strapped to her back. Dordoni knew this was Halibel, even if he hadn't heard Apacci call out her name.

"Who are you?" Halibel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Good day, Master Halibel. I am Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio. I was hoping you could help me with an issue of mine?" Dordoni asked, bowing respectfully to the new Tercera Espada.

"Get lost, creep! She's not going to sleep with you!" Apacci yelled.

"Apacci, that's enough!" Halibel snapped. "Please excuse her."

"No, it's quite alright, your niña reminds me of the one I come to ask you about. She has fire in her eyes and a sharp tongue. I like her already!" Dordoni said with a smile.

"So, what is it you come to speak to me about? A girl you know?" Halibel asked, growing curious.

"Yes, Master Halibel. I have a friend who, like myself, is a Privaron Espada. I grow worried for her because I haven't seen her in a very long time. A few years at least. Every time I go to see her, her doors are locked and I hear no-one on the other side." Dordoni began.

"I see… However, I don't see why you came to me for help. It sounds like your friend just doesn't want to be disturbed. Maybe she has left Las Noches to undertake some training." Halibel stated, crossing her arms under her chest, pushing up her large breasts.

"Perhaps you are right, and I wouldn't be so concerned if I hadn't found her crying the last time I saw her. She even seemed afraid of me. Me! Can you imagine?!" Dordoni said, pointing to himself.

"Yeah, I can. You're a creep!" Apacci shouted.

"Apacci, get inside. You are going to fight Mila Rose and Sung-Sun simultaneously as a punishment; no Resurección." Halibel stated; her voice was like ice.

"Dammit! Yes, Master Halibel…" Apacci mumbled as she sauntered off to go take her punishment.

"Back to the point at hand. Why come to me because you haven't seen your friend in so long?" Halibel asked curiously.

"Well, I had heard you look after your Fracción as if they were your own children. I had hoped you cared about the safety of all female Arrancar as much as you do them." Dordoni said hopefully.

"Not just female Arrancar, female Hollows too. While my girls are more important to me than anything, that doesn't mean I don't care about others. Are you saying your friend isn't easily terrified? No, probably not, since she was an Espada at one point…" Halibel stated.

"Well yes, but there's also the fact that the doors to her palace – it looks like someone has tried, and possibly succeeded at breaking in. I am just worried for her, Master Halibel." Dordoni said sincerely.

Halibel stared at the Privaron Espada for a few moments before nodding.

"Alright, Dordoni. I'll do a little digging; I'll see if I can't find your friend. What's her name?" Halibel asked.

"Oh, thank you, Master Halibel! Thank you! Her name is Cirucci; Cirucci Sanderwicci." Dordoni exclaimed, bowing to the female Espada.

"Very well. Leave it with me; I'll see what I can find. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go keep an eye on my girls; they tend to go a little over the top if I'm not there to keep watch." Halibel responded, before she heard Apacci yell in anger.

"Ow! The fuck was that for, you stupid bitch?!"

"That… Would be my cue to leave. I'll come find you if I learn anything." Halibel said, nodding at Dordoni before closing the door to her room.

Dordoni happily danced his way out of Halibel's palace, spinning around in joy, only to fall flat on his face.

* * *

 **DISCLAIMER; This scene contains sexual material (as terrible as it may be); Reader Discretion is advised.**

Inside the Shihōin Manor, Lady Yukiko Shihōin was getting ready for bed. She was wearing a grey gown made of silk and was standing in front of a large mirror, removing her earrings and tying up her long, purple hair.

"You shouldn't tie your hair up before bed. It's not good for it." A voice whispered from the other side of her room, causing her to grin upon hearing it.

She turned around and saw none other than Ichigo, sitting on her windowsill with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, good evening, Captain. I wasn't expecting you tonight." Yukiko said, as she placed her earrings on her dresser.

"Ah, well, you know me. I'm just full of surprises." Ichigo responded as he climbed down from the windowsill, closed the window and drew the curtains shut.

"Yes, you certainly are. I take it no-one saw you come in?" She asked as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Nope. That being said, you really need to get someone to review your guard's patrols. They've been moving in the same pattern every night for a decade. I know exactly when to arrive without anyone noticing…" Ichigo responded before Yukiko gently pulled him in for a kiss.

Ichigo took this opportunity to remove the pins and clips that was keeping Yukiko's hair tied up in a tight bun. Yukiko broke the kiss and grinned at him.

"Well, maybe I can get you to come up with something later. But right now, there's something else I want from you…" Yukiko whispered before removing his Captain's Coat and allowing it to fall to the floor.

Ichigo slowly moved his hands down to Yukiko's waist, undid her gown's tie and let it slip off her curvaceous body, revealing her set of black and red lingerie, topped off with matching garter belt and thigh-high stockings.

Grinning even more, Ichigo pushed Yukiko up against the wall and lifted her arms above her head as he began to softly run his lips over her neck, her body shivering from feeling his breath on her skin. Ichigo placed a couple of soft kisses on Yukiko's neck before returning his attention to her soft lips.

He gently pressed his lips against hers, using his tongue to force her mouth open a little wider as their tongues began fight one another for dominion over the other's mouth. The passion that was evident in the kiss caused Yukiko to moan softly as Ichigo ran his hands down the side of her body, lightly tickling her as he touched her, causing her to moan even more.

Ichigo suddenly picked Yukiko up and carried her over to the bed before dropping her down on it. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ichigo undressing himself, which made her grin again.

"Take it all off… Let me see that body I've been craving…" Yukiko whispered, putting a hand down in her panties and began rubbing herself, letting out a gentle moan as she started.

Ichigo removed the last of his clothing and was standing in front of Yukiko fully naked; his cock already hard from watching Yukiko touch herself, which only made her grin even more.

"Oh, someone's enjoying themselves already, hmm? Come here…" Yukiko purred as she began to remove her bra to reveal her large breasts.

Yukiko got up off the bed before she grabbed Ichigo and pulled him and sat him down in the spot she had been on before getting on her knees. She licked her lips as she grabbed hold of his cock and began to gently stroke it.

Letting out a sigh, Ichigo lay back on the bed as Yukiko kept stroking him, her movements getting faster and harder the longer she did it. With one hand wrapped firmly around Ichigo's member, her other hand travelled down into her panties once more as she began to finger herself, moaning quietly as she did so.

Ichigo was lying on the bed with his eyes closed and a relaxed smile on his face as Yukiko was stroking him, but he let out a sharp breath when he felt Yukiko's tongue start licking the head of his cock.

Still stroking him, Yukiko continued to lick the top of his cock before she started to wrap her lips around it and gradually put more and more in her mouth. Very soon, she had swallowed his entire length, all while still fingering herself.

Ichigo sat up and gently grabbed the back of her head, tying her soft purple up in his hands as she bobbed her head up and down, licking and sucking his cock while letting out a moan of pleasure as she continued.

After a few minutes, she decided to start stroking him again, her saliva acting as a lubricant, causing her hand to glide up and down his shaft with ease. Taking her hand out from her panties, she lifted her two fingers up and saw they were covered in her fluids. Taking her middle finger, she slowly began to suck on it, tasting herself with pleasure.

"Ohh, I'm so wet… Want a taste?" She purred holding her index finger up and placing it in his mouth, letting him taste her essence.

One he had finished licking her finger, he grabbed her and pulled her onto the bed, before turning her over onto her back and removed her panties and began to gently rub her clit.

"You're so wet I can feel it dripping onto my fingers." He whispered in her ear as he pushed two fingers inside her, causing her to let out a shocked gasp, followed by a long, soft moan as he moved his fingers back and forth inside her.

With his free hand, he cupped one of Yukiko's large, soft breasts and began to lick her nipple. Her moans got louder as he continued to play with her breasts, and caused her to yelp when he gently bit one of her nipples.

Moving his body back down to the end of the bed, Ichigo pushed Yukiko's legs apart slightly and pressed his tongue up against her clit and began to slowly lick it, moving his tongue in a circular motion.

"Ohh… Ahh! Fu… Fuck!" Yukiko moaned as she grabbed the bed sheets and gripped them tightly as she wrapped her legs around Ichigo's head.

Removing his fingers from inside of her, Ichigo stopped to lick the fluids off his fingers and then put both hands on Yukiko's hips and pulled her down as he pushed his tongue into her warm, wet core and began to lick slowly before gradually getting faster.

Yukiko's moaning only got louder as Ichigo licked her faster and faster, she was gripping the bed sheets tightly and pulling on them as she writhed about in pleasure.

"Ohh, Ichigo! Fuck me, please! I need you inside me!" Yukiko moaned as she could feel her fluids flowing out of her.

Without a word, Ichigo stopped what he was doing, and pulled Yukiko up, only to turn her around and bend her over onto the bed before spreading her legs slightly and rubbed the tip of his cock against her dripping wet mound.

Ichigo had always enjoyed teasing Yukiko. When she was shaking with desire and needed her desires to be fulfilled, Ichigo would always tease her, which resulted in her letting out a frustrated groan.

After Ichigo spent a few moments rubbing her with his cock, he stopped what he was doing, which caused Yukiko to moan in frustration. Upon hearing her moan, Ichigo placed a hand on the small of her back before thrusting himself deep inside her, causing Yukiko to let out a loud moan of delight upon feeling herself being filled up with her lover's large cock.

Placing his hands on her hips, he began to slowly thrust inside her, going in only a small way before pulling back out, leaving only the head of his cock inside her. Slowly, he began to go deeper inside her and his thrusts became harder and faster.

Yukiko moaned with every thrust that went deep inside her, she gripped the bed sheets again as the feeling of having Ichigo inside her became more and more enjoyable the deeper and harder he went.

Ichigo grabbed a handful of Yukiko's soft hair and pulled on it, tugging her head back while he placed his free hand on her shoulder, to keep her from lying back down again. Yukiko could feel a warm, tingling feeling rise up inside her as Ichigo continued to fill her up with his large member and knew what was coming.

"Ohh, Ichigo…! I… I'm–" Yukiko panted, but was stopped when Ichigo pulled out. "Wha–?" Yukiko gasped, as she got the answer to her unasked question.

Ichigo pulled Yukiko up before lying down on the bed and pulling her on top of him. Knowing what he wanted from her, she smiled before mounting him and putting his cock deep inside her again, moaning loudly as she felt every inch force its way inside her, his shaft slick with her juices, making penetration much easier and more enjoyable for Yukiko.

Leaning her body forward, she started to raise her hips before lowering them again, enjoying the feeling of having Ichigo inside her. Ichigo placed his hands on her hips to assist with the speed in which he wanted her to go.

With her large breasts in his face, Ichigo began to lick her nipples once more. Knowing how much she enjoyed being pleasure by his cock and his tongue, Ichigo would frequently have her ride him while he sucked on her nipples.

Yukiko moaned again and leaned over more so her breasts were fully in Ichigo's face, causing him to grab both of them with his hands and squeeze them, while licking and sucking one of Yukiko's nipples.

Being on top of Ichigo allowed Yukiko to be in control of how hard and fast they went. It also meant that Ichigo's cock was pressing against her inner walls as she went down on him. Again she could feel the same warm, tingling sensation inside her and she wasn't going to be denied a second time.

Slowly lifting herself up then firmly pushing herself down repeatedly, she felt all of Ichigo's cock fill her up and push her over the edges of pleasure.

"Ahh! Ichigo…! I'm – fuck! I'm cumming!" Yukiko screamed in pleasure as she reached her limit and managed to orgasm, her fluids gushing out of her as she came.

The sensation of having Yukiko cum all over his cock while he was still inside her was enough to bring him to orgasm too. Holding on to Yukiko's hips, he began thrusting deep inside her until he reached his climax.

"Ohh! Ohh, Yukiko! Fuck!" Ichigo moaned as he finished inside her, filling her up with his cum.

Once Ichigo had finished, Yukiko climbed off of him and lay down next to him on the bed. She placed her head on his chest and he put an arm around her, causing her to cuddle up closer to him, swinging a leg over his own.

"Oh… That was amazing!" Yukiko breathed before she leaned in a kissed her lover passionately.

"Yeah… It always is though, huh?" Ichigo panted, smirking at Yukiko, her golden eyes shining with passion and enjoyment.

"Yep, ever since that night in the hot spring ten years ago! I was surprised you gave in so easily. I thought I'd have to spend years chasing after you just to have you inside me." Yukiko replied with a cheeky smirk.

"I could have done that, but I could see how much you wanted me, and I can't say 'no' to you, my Lady." Ichigo said, grinning at his lover.

"Oh, well aren't you a proper gentleman?" Yukiko teased as she kissed Ichigo again.

"Well, you know what they say; 'a gentleman in the streets, an animal in the sheets'." Ichigo said, causing Yukiko to giggle.

"Mmm, well you definitely fit that bill perfectly. How is it you can always make me cum so easily? I've been trying to figure it out, but I just don't know. Oh, well… I'd rather not know that not be able to cum. That would be _so_ disappointing." Yukiko sighed.

"So, when do you want to do this again?" Ichigo asked, looking at Yukiko, who was tracing circles on Ichigo's muscular chest.

"Oh, I don't mind. Just come on by whenever you're not busy; I'll always make time for you, my Lord." Yukiko said with a smile.

"Alright, sounds good to me." Ichigo replied, smiling as he kissed Yukiko's forehead softly before sitting up to get under the covers and go to sleep with her.

 **END OF EXPLICIT SCENE**

* * *

Ulquiorra walked down the halls of Las Noches in silence, his footsteps echoing throughout the hallway he was walking down. When he arrived at his destination, he knocked on the door and awaited a response.

"Fuck off!" Came the response. Ulquiorra rolled his eyes and proceeded to ignore the command, and opened the door.

"Hey, didn't you hear me? I said fuck–! Oh, it's you… What do you want?" Grimmjow growled as he eyed the Fourth Espada with curiosity and annoyance.

"I just had a rather interesting conversation with Gantenbainne Mosqueda." Ulquiorra began.

After Gantenbainne had left Ulquiorra's room, Ulquiorra had tried going back to his book, but he couldn't focus. Deciding it would be best to do so; Ulquiorra got up and went to find Grimmjow.

"Huh? That Privaron Asshole? What did he want?" Grimmjow snapped.

"Apparently, Dordoni hasn't seen Cirucci in a very long time. He seems worried about her." Ulquiorra responded, ignoring Grimmjow's tone.

"Why is that pussy worried about her? Cirucci might be a bitch, but she's the kind of bitch who likes to keep to herself." Grimmjow said, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair.

"From what Gantenbainne tells me, the last time Dordoni saw her, she was crying and scared of him." Ulquiorra responded in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Heh, yeah, I'd be scared too; that ponce is always dancing and spinning around like some bitch-boy." Grimmjow laughed.

"Be serious, Grimmjow. I came here to tell you this because I know you and Cirucci… Well, you got along, as far as things go." Ulquiorra responded with a sigh.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Grimmjow shouted, standing up and sending his chair crashing to the ground.

"I was under the impression that you two would frequently meet up for sexual intercourse. Your reaction seems to fit that assumption." Ulquiorra blinked, as Grimmjow stood before him, glaring.

"Let's get something straight here; I never fucked Cirucci! Yeah, we met up several times, but that's only because…!" Grimmjow trailed off.

"Go on…" Ulquiorra said noticing Grimmjow was struggling to continue. Taking a deep breath, Grimmjow decided to continue.

"Because she was helping me with getting Nel to notice me." Grimmjow sighed, feeling disgusted with himself over the fact that he admitted he had feelings.

"Yes, your actions whenever Nelliel was present did leave something to be desired. You acted like a caveman who had just discovered fire and was terrified by it." Ulquiorra stated, causing Grimmjow to growl.

"Yeah, whatever. Point is, since Cirucci was the only other female Espada before Aizen created more, I figured I could ask her for her help or something." Grimmjow stated, crossing his arms.

"So, you _didn't_ have sexual relations with her?" Ulquiorra asked.

"NO, DAMMIT! Look, I wasn't interested in fucking her, and she wasn't interested in me. That worked out fine for me, because she and Nel were friends and even I'm not dumb enough to fuck a girl's friend then try and get with her. Seriously, guys that do that are assholes and should have their dicks cut off. That being said, I'm pretty sure Cirucci's a virgin anyway. She told me all the guys in this place disgust her." Grimmjow said.

"Right, then I'll get back to my original point; you haven't seen her?" Ulquiorra asked, looking at the Sexta Espada.

"No, not for years. We've been separate since Nel died. I didn't see much point in going to her after that. She was probably too cut up over it and me being there would've just made it worse." Grimmjow said as he went back to his desk and picked up the book he was reading, which surprised Ulquiorra.

"'The Art Of War'? Oh, so Ggio finished translating it for you?" Ulquiorra asked, pointing to the book.

"Oh, yeah. Can you believe it took that asshole ten years? I bet that dickhead spent ninety percent of his time just tugging on his dick over the fact it's an original copy. Good thing he didn't mess it up, or that prick Baraggan would have one less Fracción." Grimmjow growled, going over to his bed and pulling out Nel's original book from under his pillow and handed it to Ulquiorra.

"You still have Nelliel's original?" Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow as he flicked through the pages. It was indeed Nelliel's original copy of the book.

"You sound surprised…" Grimmjow muttered.

"I am. I never thought you could treat other people's property with respect." Ulquiorra stated bluntly.

"Tch, whatever. Did you need anything else?" Grimmjow snapped.

"No, I have nothing more to ask you. Make sure you understand what you're reading. That's the only way you can get any benefit from it. Any imbecile could read it, but only a true warrior can _understand_ what the book is saying." Ulquiorra commented as he left Grimmjow's room, ignoring the blue-haired Espada's grumbling.

 _It would seem I am going to have to look into this thing concerning Cirucci after all… What a bother…_ Ulquiorra thought as he walked down the halls of Las Noches once more.

* * *

In the World of the Living, Ichigo's friends had spent the past year training and honing their skills. Isshin's spirit energy had fully returned a few weeks into their training and made it much easier to unlock his students' powers.

Chad had developed a set of armoured arms, his right arm was black and pink and was able to morph into a large shield and fire blasts of spirit energy. His left arm was white and red with a large spike on the shoulder, with this arm he could deal potentially fatal blows to his opponent, leaving a massive fissure that took on the shape of the face of the Devil on any surface the attack connected with.

After a month, Tatsuki showed no signs of having a spiritual power, so she told Isshin to turn her into a Soul Reaper. She had succeeded in becoming a Soul Reaper and had spent the last eleven months getting stronger and creating a synergistic bond with her Zanpakutō and achieved her Shikai, with some assistance from Isshin on how to connect with her Zanpakutō Spirit. Luckily for her, Isshin was right in saying that she was able to return to her body after becoming a Soul Reaper.

Mahana and Mizuiro had developed interesting powers. Both had been able to channel the power of the elements through their souls and turn it into a weapon. Mahana was able to explode into a cloud of fog and reform at will, along with being able to pull the moisture out of the air and fire water bullets from her hands every time she punched at something. More surprisingly was her ability to drastically alter the temperature of the water she was able to form. She could freeze water and turn it into ice, making deadly projectiles, or she could boil the water, making for a very dangerous attack that gave the water something akin to an acidic quality; the sheer heat of the water being able to melt concrete.

Mizuiro's power was similar to Mahana's. He was able to gather the static energy from the air and compress it, creating lightning. From his hands, he could fire bolts of lightning and if combined with the heated water from Mahana's power, could alter the state of matter, turning Mizuiro's bolts of lightning into plasma bolts. He could also use the electric potential energy he collected from the atmosphere and reverse its polarity, allowing him to use his hands and levitate in the air for short periods of time.

This, of course was the simplest way Isshin could explain it to them. What they were really doing was absorbing reishi from the world around them and combining it with their spirit energy and that was giving their powers an elemental form.

Isshin had originally thought they might be displaying latent Quincy Powers, but upon inspection from Ryūken, he told Isshin this was not the case.

Chizuru had developed powers similar to Orihime, but they were on the same elemental plain as Mahana and Mizuiro. Chizuru was able to absorb light from the sun and turn it into a healing energy. With her power, she was able to restore spirit energy to allies who had completely exhausted their reserves and heal wounds at an accelerated rate. She was also able to compress the energy she had and use it as a spiritual membrane that she could cover people in, ultimately creating a full mobile body shield that would explode in a bright flash of light when it was destroyed, temporarily blinding opponents and allowing for a safe escape.

While Orihime quickly learned her 'Healing' ability was more a temporal and spatial regression ability than healing, as both Isshin and Ryūken had deduced, using their expert knowledge of medicine and spiritual healing. With it, she was able to restore lost limbs and ultimately nullify any sort of physical trauma done to a target. Spirit energy wasn't something she could restore at an enhanced pace. Her shielding and offensive ability she was able to combine and if someone was to strike at her shield, they would get blasted by Tsubaki, who was able to absorb the power of the enemy's attack and send it right back at them.

Isshin had warned Orihime not to use it excessively, or against anyone with at least a Lieutenant's level of power, as she wasn't strong enough to contain that amount of power, which he proved by attacking Orihime at a level comparable to a Lieutenant, and it resulted in her shield shattering upon impact and injuring Tsubaki, who didn't take too kindly to Orihime's reluctance to hurt others, as it resulted in his powers weakening and him getting hurt.

Since both Michiru and Ryō were Quincies, Isshin had sent them to Ryūken so he could train them, along with Uryū, and all three were progressing with their training quite nicely, according to Ryūken. At first he was reluctant, but he eventually caved when Isshin reminded Ryūken that he could use his knowledge of Quincy styles of combat to keep his son and his Quincy friends safe from Captain Kurotsuchi, who had most likely experimented on Quincies in the past, who would certainly jump at the chance to experiment on someone for more information.

Ryūken was a bitter Quincy. After what happened to Kanae and Masaki, his anger to the Quincy name was understandable, which was reinforced by the fact his father had died while doing his duty as a Quincy.

As bitter and angry as he was, he was not an idiot. Isshin had told him about the exploits of the maniacal Captain of Squad Twelve and he knew he could not, in good conscience, send Uryū and his Quincy friends into the Soul Society and put them at risk of dying, or falling into the hands of the madman who was in charge of the Department of Research and Development, simply because he resented his heritage and wanted no part of it.

As for Keigo, after the first time he discovered his powers and went on a rampage, he was kept on a very short leash until he could control his powers. It took a long time, but Keigo eventually got enough control over his power that, despite still not having all his mental faculties under control, he was able to distinguish friend from foe.

Isshin had come to the conclusion that, at his current level, Keigo could easily go toe-to-toe with a Captain, albeit it for a short while before he was either overpowered, or passed out from exerting so much spirit energy. The only exception to that would probably be the Head Captain, as Isshin had mentioned to Keigo.

"Alright, you guys. I think that's enough for today." Isshin said, sheathing his Zanpakutō and taking a seat on the ground.

"Really? I'm still good to go, you know!" Tatsuki said with a grin, holding her Zanpakutō.

Tatsuki's Shikai took the form of a pair of spiked knuckles that had long blade protruding out from the ends that could be used as both an offensive and defensive weapon. The knuckles themselves could be augmented with spirit energy to amplify Tatsuki's damage output. It was a Zanpakutō that was designed for nothing other than close quarters, melee combat, as it held no other signature capabilities that Tatsuki knew of.

"I'm sure you are; I'm sure all of you are, but we're past training until you're close to death. You've all got a level of endurance that is comparable to most Lieutenants; I'm certain Chad and Keigo have an endurance that would match a Captain, under the right circumstances. That doesn't mean you should go and get into a fight with one, Keigo." Isshin stated, looking at Keigo.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Keigo sighed and sat down on the ground.

"So, how long until you think we're ready to go see Ichigo?" Tatsuki asked, sealing her Zanpakutō and sitting down.

"A couple weeks, maybe a month? I'm not a hundred percent sure; it'll be down to how Ryūken thinks Uryū, Michiru and Ryō are progressing, but he tells me they're doing fine." Isshin said, scratching his beard.

"How have Karin and Yuzu been? I would've thought you'd've brought them here to train with us." Mahana said.

"Uhh, yeah… They're fine. Just busy with schoolwork and stuff." Isshin said with a forced smile.

"You forgot to speak to them, didn't you?" Tatsuki deadpanned.

"I forgot to speak to them." Isshin stated, repeating what Tatsuki had said.

"How can you forget to talk to your daughters about this?! We've been doing this for over a year!" Chizuru shouted.

"I don't know, alright?! They're my babies, and I can't bring myself to tell them, in case they get hurt. I want to tell them, but I don't want them to want to come to the Soul Society to see Ichigo and get hurt in the progress. I'm sure Karin would be fine, but Yuzu is a different story. She's too delicate and there's no way she'd be able to bring herself to hurt another person." Isshin responded.

"Yeah, Yuzu is a sweet girl… You still need to tell them though." Tatsuki said, causing Isshin to nod.

"Yeah, I know, I know… I'll do it soon. Once you guys are all set, I'll tell them everything." Isshin responded.

"What happens if they want to come with us? You know you can't leave them on their own and I doubt Dr. Ishida would look after them for you. He's a busy man." Mahana said.

"I guess I'll have no choice but to make them Soul Reapers and bring them along with us. I could easily protect them, unless I was to go up against a Captain, then things would get messy." Isshin said, thinking about what to do.

"You can't be serious? You're going to risk killing them to turn them into Soul Reapers just to bring them to see their brother?" Mizuiro asked.

"I wouldn't need to use the same method Tatsuki underwent. That method is for those who don't have any traces of Soul Reaper Powers; you need to 'die' for them to be born and brought to the surface. Since Karin and Yuzu are my kids, they already have the Soul Reaper 'gene' in them; I can simply expose it by giving them some of my power. It would need to be refined by themselves, but it'd be a start." Isshin explained.

"Alright, so what do we do now?" Chad asked, towering over the group.

"For now, go home. Rest. I'll talk to my girls and see how they react to everything." Isshin said, standing up and walking over to his body.

Everyone present simply shrugged and got up and went back to their bodies, with Chad, Keigo and Orihime being the exception.

"Hey, you guys, I wonder how Michiru, Ryō and Uryū are doing with their training… We haven't seen them properly for months." Mahana said.

* * *

Over at Karakura Hospital, in a hidden room deep underground, Michiru, Ryō, and Uryū had spent the better part of a year training with Ryūken to improve their Quincy Powers.

At first, Ryūken had been hesitant to train the two Quincy girls; his years of being a practitioner of medicine and his taking of the Hippocratic Oath meant he could not, in good conscience, turn away someone who needed his help.

Ryūken Ishida was the kind of man who took his job seriously, be it saving a life of a patient in the operating theatre, or training a three teens who were Quincies and were hell bent on going on what he deemed a suicide mission to the Soul Society to see a dead friend.

Even now, a year down the line, he still couldn't grasp why these kids were so intent on doing something so ludicrous. Every time he thought about it, it boggled his mind. He assumed the girls simply had a crush on Isshin's son; he knew that teens in love would do stupid things; plenty of times he'd seen teenagers in hospital (or worse, the morgue) because they did something incredibly foolish, just to impress the person they liked.

Uryū, on the other hand, he wasn't too sure about. He knew his son didn't have a crush on Ichigo (as far as he knew), so why would he want to go to the Soul Society to see someone he barely knew and is a Soul Reaper.

Ryūken got his answer when Isshin told him about one Mayuri Kurotsuchi. After that conversation, he decided to let Uryū go and confront this Captain, but under the condition he could train for a year and surpass his father in combat. While Ryūken knew the latter condition to be impossible after a year of training, due to him being an Gemischt Quincy and not and Echt like Ryūken was, he knew Uryū would train hard in hopes of being able to get revenge for Sōken's death.

Uryū loved his grandfather dearly, and while Ryūken was bitter over his bloodline, he was somewhat happy to see his father teach his son about the Quincy, although he would never admit it.

Ryūken had hoped to discourage his son from becoming a Quincy in hopes that he'd be saved from the 'selection' that killed his mother and Masaki. Both Sōken and Ryūken were Echt Quincies, meaning they were the last ones who'd be marked for death by the bastard King, but Uryū was not. He was a Gemischt and all they were good for was supplementing the power of the Quincy King. Ryūken admitted to himself that if he lost his son in the same way he lost his wife, he would stop at nothing until the Quincy King was dead at his feet, or die trying.

Keeping such thoughts at the back of his mind, he focused on training the three Quincy that were currently with him in the underground training room he had he built under his hospital.

"Focus, Uryū, you fool!" Ryūken snapped as he fired a trio of arrows at his son, who barely dodged them.

Behind him, Ryūken heard the sounds of Hirenkyaku; the Quincy answer to the Soul Reaper's Flash Step, and when he turned, he saw both Ryō and Michiru leaping through the air; their spirit bows aimed at Ryūken.

Looking at the girls with an unimpressed look, he merely stood there as they both fired a single arrow at him. Both arrows hit his chest and dissipated upon impact.

"Oh, come on! You said we couldn't use Blut! What kind of bullshit is that?!" Ryō shouted at Ryūken.

"Silence, child! I said _you_ couldn't use Blut. I never said anything about not using it myself." Ryūken said simply before shooting arrows at both girls who used Hirenkyaku to avoid the incoming projectiles.

Blut was a Quincy technique that gives the user incredible offensive and defensive capabilities by pumping Reishi into their blood vessels. Ryūken had just used Blut Vene; the defensive technique. As an Echt Quincy, Ryūken inherited the innate ability to use Blut.

Ryō was more frustrated than Michiru, as it turned out she too was an Echt Quincy. Ryūken had learned this the hard way when Ryō had unknowingly used Blut Arterie; the offensive technique and almost killed him.

Had Ryūken not been able to use Blut Vene to shut off the blood flow and repair the wound Ryō had inflicted, he would most certainly have died. He knew Ryō was an Echt the moment she used Blut Arterie; only an Echt Quincy could unknowingly use Blut; Gemischt Quincy had to train to be able to use such a technique.

"Alright, I think we're done for today. If you all want to go and die in the Soul Society on some pointless quest to see a dead friend, then be my guest. I have nothing more left to teach you." Ryūken said as he walked towards the elevator and tapped the button, which opened the door immediately. The doors closed and with a 'ding' the elevator started its journey up to Ryūken's office; the only way to get access to the training room.

"Man, I thought Dr. Ishida would become nicer to us once we got a hold over our Quincy Powers, but he's as mean as ever!" Michiru said, looking at the elevator doors with a slight scowl.

"That's just Ryūken for you. He'll never actually admit that he's pleased with your progress, but he is." Uryū said as he used Hirenkyaku to cross the room and appear behind Ryō and Michiru.

"How can you tell? I know he's your dad, but you two hardly speak." Ryō asked, looking at the bespectacled Quincy.

"He's letting us go to the Soul Society. If he didn't think we were ready, he wouldn't let us go. He just doesn't want to admit he's impressed with your progress." Uryū stated, removing his glasses to clean them.

Despite Ryūken's bitter reluctance to help Michiru, Ryō, and Uryū, he was an incredible teacher. Ever since Michiru and Ryō had discovered they were Quincies and were sent to Ryūken for training, they had become exceptionally skilled in the Quincy craft. In just a single year, they had been able to match and even surpass Uryū in skill. That was more down to the fact that Ryūken was seriously trying to kill them, whereas Sōken took a more delicate approach to training when he taught Uryū as a child.

"Are you sure we're ready for this? I'm still worried Isshin was downplaying the power Soul Reapers have." Michiru said with concern.

"I doubt Isshin would be the kind of guy to lie to you in an attempt to make you feel better, and I'm damn sure Ryūken isn't going to mince words when it comes to anything, let alone the power of Soul Reapers. He's trained you to be able to fight a Captain on equal ground; you're both ready to go." Uryū stated.

"Huh… As much as I think your dad's a hardass, he's definitely a good teacher. I can't believe he's trained us to such a level in such a short time." Ryō commented as the three Quincy waited for the elevator to return to the training room.

"Well, considering he's been trying to kill you from day one, you should be proud of your progress." Uryū said with a faint smirk.

"Yeah, somehow that doesn't really make me feel like jumping up and down in joy. As effective as his training was, I'd rather not have to face certain death just to get stronger." Michiru replied.

"You know you'll be facing certain death in the Soul Society anyway? At least now your biggest challenge will be Captains and since there are only thirteen of them, you shouldn't be in too much danger. Well, there's actually twelve; their Head Captain is in an entire league of his own, according to Isshin. I somehow doubt he'll take interest in a couple of teenage girl, unless you eviscerate the other Captains, and that's not likely." Uryū said with a shrug.

"Jeez, Uryū, who's side are you on? First you tell us Ryūken trained us to be able to fight Captains and now you're saying we won't be able to beat them? Thanks for the vote of confidence." Ryō snapped, rolling her eyes.

"I just call it like I see it. You might be able to fight Captains on a comparable level, but I doubt you'll be able to kill them." Uryū replied as the three got on the elevator.

"Never suggested anything like killing them; only stopping them from getting in our way of seeing Ichigo." Ryō bit back.

"That's something I'm curious about; why are you so determined to see Ichigo again? It's not like you guys were best friends or anything. Hell, the only reason I'm going is to kill the man who killed my Grandfather; I couldn't care less about Ichigo." Uryū said, causing Michiru to slap him across the face.

"How dare you! Ichigo was our friend and we all care about him! Everyone has their own reasons for going, but they're still for Ichigo. Chizuru might not like Ichigo, but she cares about him because Orihime loves him and that's enough for her! You're only doing this for your own selfish reasons, but that's your decision. If all you care about is getting revenge for your Grandfather, that's your business, but each and every one of us has spent the past year training to get stronger because Ichigo means something to us!" Michiru shouted, staring at Uryū with hard eyes.

"I know I'm doing this for my own reasons. In fact, if Ichigo was the one who came to try and stop me from achieving my goal, I'd probably kill him." Uryū said coldly, making Michiru gasp.

"Wow, you're a real bastard, Uryū. Even Ryūken isn't _that_ cold." Ryō snapped, hugging Michiru.

Uryū simply shrugged as the elevator reached Ryūken's office and the two girls quickly got out and left the office and went to find the main elevator so they could leave the hospital.

* * *

"Good morning, Captain. Where did you go last night? You left in a hurry." Tōshirō greeted Ichigo as he entered his Captain's office.

"Oh, nowhere in particular. I just realised I had something important to do." Ichigo shrugged as Tōshirō sat down in a chair.

 _ **I think you mean 'I had someone important to do'.**_ White laughed in Ichigo's head.

 _You're still here? Haven't you got anything better to do with your time?_ Ichigo snapped.

 _ **No. Besides, my job is to keep watch over you and make sure you're worthy of being in control.**_ White replied.

 _Well, it's been ten years. If I haven't fucked up already, then it's not going to happen._ Ichigo stated.

 _ **You keep thinking that; it'll make your defeat that much more enjoyable for me… Just as soon as I get out of this fucking thing!**_ White yelled in anger.

 _What are you talking about now? For ten years you've been complaining about being stuck inside my soul; get over it. That's where you belong!_ Ichigo shouted.

 _ **That's… Not… ARGH, FUCK IT!**_ White roared before going silent again.

"Captain?" Tōshirō repeated, bringing Ichigo back to reality.

"Hmm?" Ichigo looked at his Lieutenant.

"I was asking what you had planned for the Squad's training today." Tōshirō looked at Ichigo. "Are you alright, sir?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Don't worry about it." Ichigo said as he stood up.

Ichigo walked over to the door of his office and as soon as he opened it, a massive explosion rocked the Seireitei, releasing a power pulse of energy that encompassed the entire Seireitei. Both Ichigo and Tōshirō were sent flying back from the blast.

"What the hell was that?!" Tōshirō yelled as he stood up.

"I don't know, but it came from Squad Twelve; let's go!" Ichigo looked to his Lieutenant before disappearing with Flash Step.

Little did Ichigo know that the explosion that had just occurred at Squad Twelve was only the beginning. The Soul Reapers were about to face a storm that threatened to destroy them all…

* * *

 **A/N; Here, have another Chapter! This one has more Character Development… I think. It has a sex scene, so there's that. It was so fucking hard (no pun intended) to write, as I have no experience with any of that stuff and I'm the kind of person who doesn't really like using euphemisms unless it's meant as a joke, but using anatomical words for things also sounded too 'medical/clinical' and that would have just detracted from the whole thing, So, I just went with how the TV Show Spartacus did it.**

 **That being said, I really don't know a better word for 'vagina' (as correct as it is, it sounds too clinical). 'Pussy' has just been overused in porn, and I'd only really use it in speech (mainly with the Arrancar; like "Oh, my pussy is so wet" or whatever) or if someone was using it as an insult (Like Grimmjow calling Dordoni a pussy (even though that use has absolutely no correlation to the female reproductive organ)), and I'm not even going to explain to you why 'cunt' is such a terrible idea. Again, I'd only use that as an insult. Let's be honest, we can all see Grimmjow calling Nnoitra a cunt, can't we?**

 **That aside, tell me how it went; there's always room for improvement with that stuff (especially for me). On to other shit! We have now skipped forward by ten years in the Spirit World. I just want to take the time to explain that I have decided to change the temporal dissonance between worlds. Having the Soul Society run ten times faster than the World of the Living was a bit of a stretch, but having Hueco Mundo run six times faster than that? If that was how I kept it, sixty years would have passed in Hueco Mundo and that's just stupid, so the Spirit World (both SS & HM) run ten times faster than the World of the Living. Yeah, thinking about it, the whole notion of dilated time between the worlds was stupid, as there are so many variances that counteract it (Like Isshin leaving 20 years ago. Would that make it 200 years by the Soul Society's timeline, or two years by World of the Living? We know it can't be the latter, so yeah…). Point is, I'll edit the explanation and other shit in my old chapters, as the temporal dissonance isn't vital to my story in the early stages, but I'll rectify things later on and explain how the flow of time became so dilated between the two worlds. I'm not saying it's Mayuri's fault, but it's totally Mayuri's fault.**

 **Anyway, the time skip was simply for progression and to bring the story up to running parallel with the current standing of Captains and Lieutenants from the early stages of Canon so we can start getting underway with things there.**

 **We were introduced to Halibel and two of her girls (who are my favourite of her girls) and we will see her and Ulquiorra put on their detective hats and get their magnifying glasses out to investigate what happened to Cirucci. If anything happened and she hasn't just spent the last ten years locked away in her Palace to hide from Nnoitra. I feel so awful having to put Cirucci through this stuff because I love her so much, but don't worry; I'll make sure you're happy in the end, Cirucci!**

 **We got some backstory into Grimmjow and Cirucci's history and how/why they crossed paths and learned some interesting stuff about the pair of them. Grimmjow actually has feelings, even though he's an angry caveman (according to Ulquiorra).**

 **I decided to make Tōshirō Ichigo's Lieutenant because I wanted to add a little bit between them that builds on their meeting from Chapter Two. Let's be honest, who'd want to be the Third Seat to someone as lazy as Rangiku? No, guys, she's not going to sleep with you if you do her work for her, so don't even suggest it. At least with Ichigo, Tōshirō gets respect, isn't taken advantage of for his work ethic and gets a promotion to Lieutenant.**

 **Alright, Ichigo's friends… Yeah, you're probably thinking Chizuru, Mahana and Mizuiro's powers are cop-outs, but it was the best I could come up with. You don't really see people with Elemental Powers in Bleach, minus Zanpakutō, so why not give them to humans? Sure, it might look like something out of X-Men, but that wasn't what I was going for. To be fair, I adopted Chizuru's power from Fallout 4's 'Solar Powered' and 'Refractor' Abilities. Mahana and Mizuiro's powers aren't like Chad's Fullbring, as they actually need to be in Soul Form to use them. Think of it as a cross between Fullbring and Soul Reaper Powers; The can draw the 'soul' out of the world around them with the combination of reishi present in the atmosphere and imprint their own spirit energy into it, allowing them to have unique elemental abilities. So, think of them drawing the soul out of the atmosphere (Fullbring) and imprinting their soul into the reishi they gather and make it their own power (a Soul Reaper imprinting their power into an Asauchi). Is everyone clear on that? Most excellent.**

 **Tatsuki as a Soul Reaper simply came from the fact I couldn't come up with anything else. Michiru and Ryō are Quincies, Chad's a Fullbringer, Chizuru, Mahana and Mizuiro are (what I shall now dub) 'Soulbringers' Soul Reaper/Fullbringer Hybrids. I have no idea what the fuck Orihime is. Is she actually a Fullbringer, or is she something else? People keep calling her powers 'God Powers', and while temporal and spatial regression is powerful, I'm not going to make her a God because fuck that's a weak plotline. I remember reading this one fic where they made Orihime a God and Aizen a God who used the Hōgyoku to attain some of Orihime's power and in their 'battle' it was literally just a back and forth of 'I reject'. Like, they were literally rejecting the other's ability to reject. It was like 'Nah, fuck you!', 'Nah, fuck you!', 'Nah, fuck you!', 'Nah, fuck you!' and it was the dumbest thing I've ever read. That disappointing 'battle' aside, it was a great story, so I'm not angry.**

 **I digress; Tatsuki's Shikai looks like Asuma-Sensei's Chakra Blades from 'Naruto'. I always thought they were cool and I hated the fact they killed him a long time ago, so I decided Tatsuki should have his blades because she'd put them to good use and make Asuma-Sensei proud!**

 **Ryō is an Echt Quincy (Pureblood, in case people forget the terminology), while Michiru is a Gemischt, but she's a quick study and can learn Quincy Abilities without much practice. The one thing I can't grasp is how could Ichigo use Blut Vene when fighting Yhwach for the first time? According to lore, only Echt Quincy can use Blut without learning it, and since Ichigo isn't an Echt, how was he even able to use it? I swear to God, if it's some bullshit excuse like 'His Quincy Powers are manifested as Yhwach from 1,000 years ago, allowing him to use all Quincy Abilities like he was an Echt' I'll be so pissed off! That's such a cop-out!**

 **Right, I forgot where I was going with this, but Isshin and company will be preparing for their journey to the Soul Society soon. Once we wrap up this new 'issue' that's arisen, we'll be beginning the quest to see Ichigo again! That will, hopefully bring us full-circle and back to the opening events of Chapter One and from there, we'll be progressing to the Arrancar Arc, which is the focal point of this story.**

 **Ok, let's just jump into the Reviews, because I know that's the thing you guys like the most about my story, huh? Without further ado;**

 **AnimeA55Kicker; From what I've seen, it doesn't look** _ **that**_ **bad. Sure, his Black Bankai is better, but that isn't to say it's not as cool. I just hate how Yhwach broke his Bankai like three times and we don't even know what it can do. All we know is that it's true power is powerful enough for a Soul King-Enhanced Yhwach to consider it a threat to him, requiring immediate destruction. I hate Shonen Jump for forcing Kubo to rush the ending. If they didn't rush him, the end would have been so much better!**

 **Ichigoat; Well now… That's an idea I can get behind. An angry, emotional Soifon who confronts Ichigo about being the Squad Two Captain and it ends up with her fucking him. I can see that happening. Question is, do others want that to happen, or nah? The lemon with Yukiko was a one-off, just to test my writing abilities for future lemons, so we'll just wait and see…**

 **Mugetsu – Moonless Sky; I'd like to aim for a** _ **MINIMUM**_ **of 1M words, so we'll see how far I get. I'm already 20% of the way there (well, more like 22.5% but you get the idea). Yeah, I'm better at Character Development. I tried writing a full fight scene back in Chapter 5 and people didn't really like it, so it kinda discouraged me from doing more. That being said, the Ryōdoji was more of a filler than anything, something to get the gears turning for the story. Future fights will be more intense and won't be over so quickly. I hope they'll be as good as other people's fight scenes. I just worry about writing them because there's only so much you can do before the fights become stale, boring, and no-one wants to read them. I wouldn't drag out a single fight for multiple Chapters, but I would have to spread out several fights over several Chapters, as it'd be impossible to write good, detailed fights in one whole Chapter, unless you want something that ends up being 50k+ words long in length. THAT would get boring fast. At least someone sees the thought process behind me having Ichigo lead Squad 2; it keeps him on a leash with Yukiko (METAPHORICALLY, people! Leashes, whips, chains and toys won't be coming into this until the Arrancar lemons) so he keeps doing things for her (and doing her).**

 **Zaraki Jaegerjaquez; Of course! The Espada are just as important to this story and I'm using this time to add backstories to some of them. It'd be kinda stupid to make this an Arrancar Fic and give the Arrancar no backstory or chance for Character Development to show how they came to be the way they are. They won't all be psychopathic madmen, don't worry; I've already established that.**

 **TR4PP3R; Honestly? I didn't read it. I work Full-Time Night-Shift and when I get home I write my Fanfic, check my Facebook and sleep. I only find time to read other Fanfics at work and that's not a lot of time, and I'm in the middle of reading three other fics; I can't be bothered starting another one when I'm in the middle of three others. Sorry buddy.**

 **Six Foot Assassin; Yeah, I established that the timeline was going to be skewed from the get-go. All in the name of Character Development. Tōshirō was just a little kid when we met him in Chapter 2, how could he become a Captain when he was still something akin to a 5 year old? That's why I added the time-skip; to start brining things closer to Canon. Have you not seen how Anime works? Whenever a character reveals a new ability, it's super-powerful and it eventually becomes a standard move as they use it more and more. So, yeah, her Bankai is powerful, but have you seen the Head Captain's Bankai? There's OP, then there's Zanka no Tachi. That fucking thing has 4 forms and you're telling me Miyako's Bankai is OP? I think not, good sir! As for Ichigo being named Squad 2 Captain; who runs the Stealth Force? The Shihōin. Who wants Ichigo? Yukiko Shihōin. That should answer your question as to why that happened. As for him not having any training, I'm sorry, but who was his Captain? Sōsuke Aizen. I'm quite certain he would have trained Ichigo in all forms the Stealth Force use. Especially since he wants Ichigo to join him; he'll need to learn how to work in the shadows, so if anything, this move benefits Aizen. Look, man, I've spent three months writing this Fanfic and I've been keeping my readers guessing from day one, I'm not about to piss away three months of hard work and spoil it for everyone just because you want to know what's going to happen so you can decide whether or not this is worth reading. I'm just going to be blunt and level with you; You wanna know the answer? Stick around and find out with everyone else. If you don't want to read this story, I really don't care. I'm not about to ruin the suspense and excitement for everyone just because one person says 'I want to know so I can decide if this is worth reading'. If you understood how the creation of Arrancar worked, you wouldn't even need to ask that question. Call me a dick or tell me I'm rude, but I'm not going to beat around the bush. You want an answer, you can damn well wait for it, like everyone else.**

 **; Thank you for those kind words, friend. They mean a lot. Yes, this is going to be an Arrancar Harem Fic. I'll consider making some IchigoxMomo Angst, but we'll see. I don't rightly know how good I am at that stuff. As for the Harem, I've already stated in previous A/N's that Halibel won't be in it for the simple fact that she's emotionally cold and giving her feelings would just make her OOC, much like it would for Ulquiorra. That and her mask covers her mouth, meaning it'd be impossible for her to kiss anyone without releasing and she can't do that, being the Tercera. Not inside Las Noches, at least. No, Halibel won't be in it, but Apacci and Sung-Sun will be. I hope that's a fair compromise. Again, thank you for the kind words; it's reviews like yours that motivate me to do this fic.**

 **Vhaerun54; Ah, hello! I do recall getting a notification about you following my story a while ago. I hope you've been enjoying things so far. I must say, I do enjoy the Arrancar Fics or ones where Ichigo becomes an Arrancar; they're my favourite. I agree with the fight comment, but the Ryōdoji were just a side thought to get some plots in the story rolling (a reason for Ichigo to get Bankai, become a Captain etc.). If anything, it was filler that progressed the story. So, not really 'filler', but not incredibly vital to the story in the fact of itself not being a major plot point. Does that make sense? When I get to points where fight scenes are pivotal to the story, they'll be better; I assure you. Like I've said, I was discouraged by doing full fight Chapters after Chapter 5 was a disappointment to readers, so I'll do my best. It seems everyone loves my Character Development and that's wonderful! It's a pivotal point to any story and I'm pleased people are enjoying it. I wonder what the ramifications will be if people find out Ichigo is fucking Yukiko and has been for the past decade. In his defence, he doesn't** _ **really**_ **have a choice in the matter, so he tries to play it off as no big deal.**

 **Naruto; Wonderful! I can only hope the quality improves and you enjoy it more and more as the story develops!**

 **FindingProvidence; Honestly, throwing curveballs and blindsiding you has become my favourite past-time. Every time I start a new Chapter, the first thing I ask myself (aside from what to name the Chapter) is 'How can I completely surprise FindingProvidence and blow his mind with events that unfolded and that he didn't see coming?' Hahaha, nah but seriously; I'm pleased I can keep you guessing and not have you figure out what I'm planning. At least someone appreciates my work for that fact. The fight scenes are a lot like sex scenes; I can easily imagine them and how it'd play out, but writing them in such a way that the reader can see them the way you do is difficult. I do my best and hope people can clearly imagine them. You don't need to be a writer to have a good appreciation for well-written literature. I mean, look at 'Fifty Shades of Grey'. I wasn't a writer when that came out and from what I've had read to me, I knew it was trash. Now I'm a writer (in some way, shape, or form), I can now say with utter confidence that it is indeed worse than trash. A monkey can throw its shit at a book with blank pages and it'd still be a better work of literary art than that abomination. Plus it glorifies abusive relationships and controlling a woman through power, control and sex. I have no qualms about reading BDSM scenes (I'm partial to those kinds of things, though I don't know why), but I draw the line at using that control in the bedroom in the actual relationship. People who do shit like that disgust me and deserved to be kicked in the dick. Yep, White is starting to become more prominent now, especially with the storm that's coming. I'm pleased you enjoyed the bit with Soifon. I wanted to portray how damaging it could be to someone who has spent all their life training to achieve something, only to have it ripped away because of some bullshit reason. Like, how would you feel if you spent all your life training for the Olympics and you were the best at what you did, only to be excluded because your coach wanted someone else on the team instead of you because that person was easy to manipulate and your coach knew he/she could have unrestrained sex with her/him in exchange for your place? It'd hurt, right? I think I'm going totally off point with that explanation, but you know what I mean, right? I'm pleased you enjoy this story so much that you're going to be along right until the very end. I'm honoured!**

 **Imperfect The Nameless Hollow; It's not just you who's noticed. You'll see more and more with the coming Chapters, don't you worry about that. Aizen always has sinister plans, so I'm pleased you're enjoying everything.**

 **Guest (How about you use a name, man?); How do you know? There is such a thing as 'Soul Suicide', that's literally the same thing as Miyako's Bankai. You fail to give payment, your soul will be forced into 'Soul Suicide' as punishment. That's all I'm going to say.**

 **Magyk69; Thanks for the feedback on her Bankai. The thing with the crossbow is there for two reasons; the first being, do you know how fast a crossbow bolt can travel? They can travel up to speeds of 350fps (Feet Per Second), which is 384km/h or 238mph. There is literally no way Miyako could dodge something travelling so fast when she had no idea it was coming. Nemu could, because she's a fucking beast (and a mod soul), that's why Miyako did nothing but accept her fate. The second reason is that Miyako and Kaien are going to die anyway; I just wanted to keep my readers guessing. Ichigo's Hollow will become more prominent soon. You'll see why… I dropped Soifon because it was the last thing people were expecting. If all other Captain Positions are filled, and we know Miyako is going to die, people would assume I'd wait until that happens and have Ichigo take over Squad Ten, but they were wrong! Plus it keeps Ichigo in Yukiko's sights so she can fuck him whenever she wants. Y'know, that kinda thing.**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; That's not a half bad assumption, but the way you think Aizen will go about getting Kisuke's Hōgyoku is nothing like you could even begin to imagine. It'll fuck you up when you find out how that happens. As for the Vasto Lorde; you were wrong – It was Halibel. I told you, didn't I? I have plans for our lazy Espada and his Fracción anyway, so that'll be happening later on. I'm so happy people seem to love Miyako's Bankai! I was really impressed that I came up with such a thing!**

 **That's about it for today; Thank you to all who favourite, follow, and/or review! The support you give for this story is incredible and I didn't think it'd be so popular. It's had 15,000 Views in 3 months and I couldn't be happier. I wonder how long it'll take to reach 100,000 Views… Is that wishful thinking? Ah, well… See you all next week!**


	18. The Brotherhood Of The Blade

Chapter Eighteen – The Brotherhood Of The Blade

Ichigo and Tōshirō rushed over to Squad Twelve to see what caused the explosion. On their way, they saw all the other Captains and Lieutenants converging on the Department of Research and Development to find out what had happened.

The explosion had engulfed most, if not all, of the Squad Twelve Barracks and the resulting shockwave had hit everyone in the Seireitei and there was now panic and chaos running rampant as people were rushing about to make sure their friends and comrades were unharmed and to find out _exactly_ what happened.

When Ichigo and Tōshirō arrived, they saw Captain Kyōraku and Lieutenant Ise already at the scene, trying to calm the panicking Soul Reapers. Captain Unohana, Lieutenant Kotetsu and Third Seat Iemura were also on site, directing the wounded Soul Reapers of Squad Twelve to the respective areas for medical attention, which was being provided by a large number of Squad Four Members.

"Captain Kyōraku! What's happened here?!" Ichigo shouted as he rushed over to the Captain of Squad Eight.

"Oh, Ichigo… I don't really know. Nanao and I were just relaxing over at Squad Eight before we were hit by this powerful shockwave from whatever caused this explosion. We decided to come and help out." Shunsui said casually.

"You mean _you_ were relaxing! Oh, never mind, this isn't the time. Captain Kurosaki, were you and Lieutenant Hitsugaya hit by that shockwave?" Nanao asked.

"Yeah, we felt the full force of it. I'm surprised Squad Twelve is still standing. Is anyone doing anything about the fire?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, Lieutenant Shiba and Rukia Kuchiki of Squad Thirteen are doing all they can, as they both have water-type Zanpakutō, but there's only so much they can do!" Nanao replied, looking visibly shaken.

Ichigo nodded before he turned to Tōshirō, who nodded in agreement before drawing his Zanpakutō and leapt into the air.

"Reign Over The Frosted Heavens; Hyōrinmaru!" Tōshirō yelled as he swung his Zanpakutō down towards the flames, but to his shock, nothing happened. "What?!"

"C'mon, Tōshirō, stop screwing around already!" Ichigo yelled out.

"I'm not! I can't summon my Zanpakutō!" He shouted as he landed back on the ground next to Ichigo.

As soon as Tōshirō returned to earth, Kaien had appeared with Flash Step, followed closely by Rukia.

"Kaien, Rukia! What's going on?" Ichigo asked.

"We don't know! I can't call on Nejibana's power!" Kaien responded, at a loss on what to do.

"It's the same for me, Captain! I can't summon Sode no Shirayuki!" Rukia said, looking at her Zanpakutō with confusion.

"Damn it! What can we do now, Shunsui?" Ichigo asked, looking at the Squad Eight Captain.

Shunsui and Nanao looked at each other for a second before nodding.

"Tenran." They both said together.

"That's actually not a bad idea. We'll use wind to extinguish the flames! Rukia, step back. I don't want you getting hurt." Kaien said.

"Uhh, yes, Lieutenant!" Rukia said as she took several steps away from the Officers.

All at once, Shunsui, Nanao, Kaien, Tōshirō, and Ichigo all jumped into the air and aimed a hand at the raging inferno.

"Hadō Number Fifty-Eight; Tenran!" They all shouted simultaneously as a large cyclone of wind exploded from their hands, all combining at a central point before expanding in size and power.

The sheer force of a high-fifties Level Kidō performed by two Captains and Three Lieutenants was more than enough to suffocate the flames that were eating away at the buildings. Some stray debris had managed to become dislodged within the cyclone and get carried away into the sky. However, that wasn't the only thing to get carried away by the Kidō.

"Hey, do you guys see what I see?" Ichigo asked, looking to the sky.

Everyone present looked into the sky and saw the unmistakable shape of a person getting blown away.

"Is… Is that Seventh Seat Yamada of Squad Four?!" Nanao cried in shock.

"Hmm, yeah, I'd say it is." Shunsui said, squinting to see who the poor soul was.

"Everyone, stop!" Nanao shouted, ending the Kidō Spell.

Following suit, everyone stopped using Tenran and Shunsui used Flash Step to catch Hanatarō before he hit the ground, and returned to the group with the terrified Seventh Seat in his arms.

"Aaahhh! No! I don't want to die! Please, SAVE ME! Huh?" Hanatarō screamed, flailing about in Shunsui's arms before being put down and realising he wasn't actually dead.

"Hanatarō, what were you doing in there? You could have died!" Kaien shouted, angry at the stupidity of the young Seventh Seat.

"Ahh, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was trying to save Rin! He fell over on his way out and I was helping him escape." Hanatarō cried out, as he dropped to his knees and began bowing to Kaien in an overdramatic attempt at an apology.

"Did Rin get out safely?" Shunsui asked, looking down at the small, frightened boy.

"Uhh, yes, sir. I was on my way out before that gust of wind sucked me up and threw me into the air." Hanatarō replied.

"Alright, well you go back to Captain Unohana. By the looks of this explosion, she's going to need all hands on deck." Shunsui stated as Hanatarō bowed before rushing off.

"Now that the fire has been put out, we need to find Captain Kurotsuchi. Whatever's happened here, we can't use our Zanpakutō, and that's a huge problem." Kaien said with a grim look.

With a nod, all Officers present, and Rukia, used Flash Step to go and track down Captain Kurotsuchi.

* * *

"I need Medic Relief Squads Four, Eight and Eleven over in Quadrant Four! We have too many wounded in that area!" Third Seat Iemura barked, directing the many members of Squad Four in an attempt to help the wounded personnel of Squad Twelve.

"Third Seat Iemura!" Nanao shouted as she arrived at the make-shift Medical Bay with the other Captains and Lieutenants.

"Lieutenant Ise! Are you hurt?!" Iemura asked, looking at the Soul Reapers who just arrived.

"No, we're all unharmed. Have you seen Captain Kurotsuchi? We need to talk to him immediately." Nanao said, causing Iemura to look confused.

"Captain Kurotsuchi? Why, yes, he's right – HEY!" Iemura turned to point towards the Squad Twelve Captain slapping a member of Squad Four across the face.

"You stupid girl! I told you I'm fine! Just leave me be! I have more important things to worry about!" Mayuri yelled, glaring at the girl who had tried to help him.

"I'm s-sorry, Captain… But… But your arm…" The girl whimpered pointing to Captain Kurotsuchi's left arm, which had been blown off in the explosion.

"You think _this_ is going to bother me? Don't be so stupid!" Mayuri yelled as he pulled a small syringe out of his coat pocket and stabbed it into his shoulder.

Within seconds, the missing arm of Captain Kurotsuchi began to reform, the bones growing out of his shoulder, followed by the muscles and muscle tissue, all being spat out of his shoulder and wrapping around the exposed bone. Finally, the chalk white skin began to grow and cover the exposed muscle.

"Well, that was something I could have done without seeing…" Nanao said, holding a hand over her mouth.

"Captain Kurotsuchi!" Iemura yelled in anger. "How dare you strike one of my Squad Members?! She is only doing her duty and providing assistance to the wounded! How was she to know you could do… _that_?!" Iemura shouted pointing to the Captain's newly reformed arm.

"One of _your_ Squad Members?! Don't make me, laugh! You are a simple Third Seat. You have no power here!" Mayuri sneered.

"When Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu are not present, I am in charge, Captain. You would do well to remember that." Iemura snapped.

"Weren't you just 'a simple Third Seat' over a hundred years ago when Kisuke Urahara was Captain of Squad Twelve?" Shunsui asked with a smirk.

Mayuri snapped his head around and glared at Captain Kyōraku. Keeping his head fixated on him, Mayuri turned his body and marched over to Shunsui.

"I wasn't aware any of this concerned you, Captain Kyōraku." Mayuri said, staring the Squad Eight Captain in the eye.

"That's where you're wrong; it concerns all of us. Whatever you were working on, it's had an adverse effect on our Zanpakutō. We can't use our Shikai." Ichigo said, looking at the mad Captain with a scowl.

"What?! So my experiment was a success after all?! This is most excellent news!" Mayuri cackled.

"Captain, what the hell have you done now?! I swear if this is anything like that time distortion experiment you and that other member of your Squad undertook years ago, I'm going to have you placed under arrest!" Nanao yelled at the Squad Twelve Captain.

"Wait, 'time distortion experiment'?" Ichigo asked, looking at Nanao.

"Yes, around about the time your father, Captain Shiba, went to the World of the Living on an assignment, Captain Kurotsuchi and another member of his squad, a man by the name of Ōko Yushima, conducted and experiment to see if they could manipulate the temporal cloak that surrounds the Dangai into creating a smaller version of it to cover Squad Twelve in an attempt to get more time to conduct experiments. However, they screwed it up, and managed to cover the entire spirit world in a cloak that has about one two hundredth of the density the Dangai has." Nanao explained.

"What? That was _you_? Were you out of your damn mind?! How are you still a Captain?!" Ichigo shouted, grabbing the clown-faced Captain by the collar.

"Ōko Yushima claimed it was all his idea and the Captain had nothing to do with it. So, only he was arrested and sentenced by Central Forty-Six. He ended up receiving life imprisonment in the Maggot's Nest." Nanao stated, causing Ichigo to release Mayuri and look at her.

"Wait, are you telling me my Squad has been holding a criminal like that all this time and no-one told me?!" Ichigo asked, looking at Tōshirō, who shrugged.

"Well, it was the duty of Soifon to tell you about all the criminals in each and every prison within the Soul Society." Nanao replied, pushing her glassed up onto her face. "By the look of you reaction, I'd say she didn't tell you?"

"No, she didn't…" Ichigo muttered, making a mental note to talk to Soifon later.

"Umm, you guys? Can we focus on the here and now? Like, why can't we use our Shikai?" Kaien interjected, redirecting the conversation back towards the original topic.

"My apologies, Lieutenant Shiba. Captain Kurotsuchi, can you tell us exactly what you were working on?" Nanao asked.

"Yes, I would very much like to hear what you have to say for yourself, Captain Kurotsuchi." A loud voice boomed from behind the group.

Turning, everyone saw the Head Captain standing before them, flanked by the rest of the Captains and Lieutenants of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. None of them looked too pleased with the Squad Twelve Captain.

"All Captains and Lieutenants are to report to Squad One for an Emergency Officers briefing immediately!" The Head Captain declared, his gaze not leaving Mayuri.

Without another word, he left with Flash Step, followed by all the other Officers.

"Well, looks like we're about to get those answers Nanao. Shall we?" Shunsui said, holding his arm out to his Lieutenant.

"I think I can manage by myself, Captain." Nanao stated as she used Flash Step to make her way to Squad One.

"She always loves to play 'hard to get'." Shunsui said with a chuckle before he followed Nanao with a Flash Step of his own.

"Rukia, return to the Barracks. No doubt Kiyone and Sentarō will be there trying to keep order while Captain Ukitake and I get some answers." Kaien stated as Rukia nodded before returning to Squad Thirteen. "You coming, Ichigo?"

"Yeah, yeah… Let's go Tōshirō." Ichigo said as the three men all took off towards Squad One with Flash Step.

* * *

"Captain Kurotsuchi! I demand an immediate explanation for what has occurred within your Squad today!" The Head Captain declared as soon as all the Captains and Lieutenants had arrived, forgoing the usual formalities of such a meeting.

"Head Captain, it's all very simple. I have been working on a way to draw out a Zanpakutō Spirit and have it manifest in this world. Through such an occurrence, it would be possible for Soul Reapers to create a synergistic bond with said spirit far easier than normal. If such a thing were possible, one would be able to fight alongside their Zanpakutō, learning first-hand how to use it. From this, learning the Bankai Release would take perhaps just a couple of years, instead of a decade or more." Mayuri explained, as if he were speaking to a child.

"And tell us, Captain; just how well did that work out? Your Squad's Barracks have been blown to shit and what have you got to show for it? A big, steaming pile of nothing." Zaraki snapped.

"Silence, you brute! I haven't finished!" Mayuri shouted, turning to glare at the Squad Eleven Captain. "As I was saying… Before the slight mishap with my Squad's Barracks, I was successful in drawing out the Spirit of my Zanpakutō, Ashisogi Jizō, and manifesting it into this world. Unfortunately, it somehow grew unstable and 'self-destructed', for lack of a better term, which is why my Barracks have been destroyed." Mayuri said, shrugging at the last statement, as if it were no big deal.

"Just how and why did your Zanpakutō Spirit 'self-destruct', Captain Kurotsuchi, and why can we no longer summon our Zanpakutō's Shikai Form?" Kaien asked.

"The how and why is not known to me. It was probably down to Nemu making some stupid miscalculation somewhere. Stupid girl; I shall deal with her later!" Mayuri growled, scowling upon mentioning the name of his Lieutenant. "As for why you cannot use your Shikai, and for the Captains, their Bankai, the answer is very simple; it is because you no longer have a Zanpakutō Spirit living in your Zanpakutō. They are pretty much an Asauchi, and have absolutely no power." Mayuri explained, causing uproar in the meeting room.

"SILENCE!" Yamamoto roared, slamming his cane against the hard, wooden floor a single time, creating total silence before he began to speak again, at a much lower level. "Captain Kurotsuchi, your experiment into the manifestation of Zanpakutō Spirits is reprehensible. As a punishment, I am ordering you to find a way to fix this most grievous error you have created, and once that has been achieved, I am putting you and your Squad on probation; no experimental research projects for a year!" Yamamoto declared, the tone of his voice told Mayuri that it would be incredibly foolish to argue.

"As you command, Head Captain." Mayuri said, bowing reluctantly to the Head Captain.

"What are we to do in the meantime, Master Genryūsai?" Jūshirō asked. "Is there any way we can assist Captain Kurotsuchi and expedite this process?"

Everyone turned to the Squad Twelve Captain, looking for an answer.

"Well, since you no longer have a Zanpakutō Spirit within your Zanpakutō, it stands to reason that they have manifested in this world somewhere. I do not know whether they have all materialised here, or in the World of the Living, but anything is possible until I have more data. As for how you can help, you can go out and find these Zanpakutō Spirits and subdue them. Much like how one would when trying to achieve Bankai; you make the Spirit submit to you, and you should get your Shikai and Bankai back. It's that simple." Mayuri stated.

"Hmph, yeah… This coming from the guy who's going to sit on his ass all day and make us do the grunt work." Ichigo snorted, earning a glare from Mayuri.

"What was that, _boy_?!" Mayuri shouted.

"You heard me! You're going to do absolutely nothing and just hope your 'theory' is correct. If it is, you'll act like you knew it all along, but if it doesn't you'll make up some bullshit excuse and blame us for doing something wrong!" Ichigo snapped, returning the glare.

"Heh, kid's got a point… C'mon, Old Man, you can't really expect us to let this asshole do nothing and take all the credit. I don't care if I have to hunt down all the Zanpakutō Spirits myself, as it'd be a good way to have a few fights, but we need more from Kurotsuchi than just a simple 'you do the work and I'll figure out what else I can do'." Zaraki said, earning nods from the rest of the Officers present.

"That is a fair point… Which is why Captain Kurotsuchi is going to work night and day to figure out where these Zanpakutō Spirits are hiding; be it here or in the World of the Living, Captain Kurotsuchi _will_ find them! Isn't that right, Captain?" Yamamoto stated looking to the mad Captain for confirmation.

"If that is what you wish, but I'll require samples of all your spiritual pressure signatures. That will make it easier to track the creatures down." Mayuri explained.

"Go figures; we have to do _more work_ to make his job easier…" Shūhei mumbled from behind Captain Tōsen, who merely nodded in agreement.

"Very well! You all have your orders! You are to seek out these Zanpakutō Spirits and subdue them! If Captain Komamura, Captain Ukitake, Lieutenant Hisagi and Lieutenant Hinamori could provide Captain Kurotsuchi with spiritual pressure samples, to see if it is possible to ascertain a location of the respective spirits or not, that would be a good start. This meeting is dismissed!" Yamamoto declared, slamming his cane against the floor, and within seconds the meeting room had emptied as all but the four Officers, Captain Kurotsuchi and the Head Captain himself all used Flash Step to exit the room.

All the Captains and Lieutenants knew they had a difficult task ahead of them.

* * *

"Hey… Hey! Wake up, Zangetsu!" A voice shouted, kicking Zangetsu in the ribs.

"Argh! What the fuck, bitch?!" Zangetsu snapped, sitting up and holding his ribs where he had been kicked.

"Oh, you're up. Good. I thought you might've died." The person who kicked Zangetsu spoke. Zangetsu saw it was a woman who had kicked him.

"You mind telling me what the fuck you're doing in my world? And why is my world now a forest?" Zangetsu asked, looking around and seeing no skyscrapers, but a large forest.

"We're not in your world, and we're not in my world either. We're in the material world." The woman responded, looking around.

"The material world? Just who the fuck are you?" Zangetsu snapped.

"Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners. I am Kyōka Suigetsu. I've heard so much about you from my Master." The woman, now known as Kyōka Suigetsu said, bowing.

"Kyōka Suigetsu? Wait a second, I know that name! You're Aizen's Zanpakutō!" Zangetsu shouted, standing up.

Kyōka Suigetsu had the appearance of a young woman of average height. She had pale skin, light blonde hair and emerald green eyes. She was wearing a flowing white robe with gold embellishments.

"Very good, and I know you're Zangetsu… Or do you prefer the name 'White'? I'm not clear on that." Kyōka Suigetsu responded.

"Huh, I'm surprised you know my _actual_ name… I only use 'White' when dealing with that idiot, Ichigo." Zangetsu said.

"Well, Zangetsu, I must say, you look nothing like my Master described. What happened to you?" Kyōka Suigetsu asked.

"What do you mean?" Zangetsu questioned, looking at the Zanpakutō Spirit before him.

"I guess I'll have to show you then…" Kyōka Suigetsu sighed as she grabbed Zangetsu's wrist and used Flash Step.

A few moments later, both Zangetsu and Kyōka Suigetsu arrived at a small lake within the forest.

"Here; take a look at yourself." Kyōka Suigetsu said, directing Zangetsu to the water's edge.

Zangetsu's look was nothing short of demonic. His skin was as white as snow, he had long black hair and black tufts of fur around his wrists and his neck. He had golden eyes; his hands were more similar to claws than anything and he was wearing a Soul Reaper's Shihakushō that had been torn at the waist, leaving him with an exposed chest which had black markings emanating from a Hollow hole in his chest. The most striking feature was the Hollow mask which was as white as his skin with two black stripes that ran down the mask over the eyes and a pair of large horns.

"What happened to me? I don't remember looking like this, but I look fucking awesome!" Zangetsu commented, putting his hands to his mask and touching the horns.

"You mean you don't know? How very odd…" Kyōka Suigetsu said, surprised. "Anyway, I think it's time we meet with the others."

"Wait, others?" Zangetsu pulled his attention away from the water and looked at the Zanpakutō Spirit.

"Yes, the others. You didn't think we were the only two who had manifested, did you?" Kyōka Suigetsu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I kinda hoped…" Zangetsu began but was ignored as Kyōka Suigetsu walked off.

"Come on… I'll take you to them." She said waving a hand to signal Zangetsu to follow her.

With a grumbled mutter of expletives, Zangetsu got up and followed Kyōka Suigetsu.

* * *

"A cave? Well, ain't that fucking original." Zangetsu said sarcastically.

"Oh, hush. Do you know how many of us there are? You'll understand why we're down here when you see how many there are." Kyōka Suigetsu said as she entered the cave.

"Why is it so bright? Aren't caves meant to be dark?" Zangetsu asked.

"You really are full of questions, aren't you? Just be patient." Kyōka Suigetsu replied.

After a few minutes, the two Zanpakutō Spirits had made their way deep into the cave and arrived at a small underground cavern. When Zangetsu saw how many other Zanpakutō Spirits were here, he understood why they were in a cave.

"Alright, you wait here while I go and inform the rest of your arrival." Kyōka Suigetsu said, keeping Zangetsu hidden away at the mouth of the cavern entrance. "Everyone! I have good news!" She began as she descended the rock formation that resembled a staircase.

"What is it this time, Kyōka Suigetsu?" A shadowy man with long black hair and bright blue eyes snapped, glaring at the Zanpakutō Spirit from his seat on a nearby rock.

"Settle down, Kazeshini. Please continue, Kyōka Suigetsu." A man in a set of purple Samurai armour commented, looking at the female spirit walking towards the group.

"Thank you, Senbonzakura. I have found another Zanpakutō Spirit. Don't let his appearance intimidate you… Zangetsu?" Kyōka Suigetsu turned to the mouth of the cavern as Zangetsu appeared, inciting uproar from the present spirits.

"What is the meaning of this, Kyōka Suigetsu?! You bring a Hollow beast down here?!" Senbonzakura shouted, taking a battle stance.

A large, red-skinned man with spiky blue hair growled and spat fire from his mouth.

"Yes, Tenken is right. How _did_ a Hollow become a Zanpakutō Spirit?" A man with long black hair and black eyes asked, looking at the approaching Zangetsu.

"That is not something I can explain, Gonryōmaru. It seems Zangetsu can't either, since he didn't know this is what he looks like." Kyōka Suigetsu explained.

"Ooh, he's terrifying, but he's really hot! I wonder what he looks like under that mask!" A woman with turquoise eyes, maroon hair, a curvaceous body covered in pink fur shouted, looking at Zangetsu with a seductive smile.

"Is that all you can think about, Haineko? I mean really; you're just as bad as your Master…" Another woman commented. This woman had deep black hair, black eyes and wore a long, flowing, black robe.

"Hey, I act like my Master because I'm a part of her soul. Just like you are with your Master, Kage no Josei." Haineko stated, crossing her arms and pouting her long tail casually waving behind her.

"Zangetsu… You mean your Master is the Captain of Squad Two? My Master's Captain?" A tall man with teal hair and an icy blue 'X' across his face asked, looking at Zangetsu.

"Master? HA! That's a good one. Let's get something straight here; that weakling _isn't_ my Master. I am simply allowing him to get stronger before I take over his body. You should all be doing that!" Zangetsu shouted, earning looks of horror from some Spirits, while others were contemplating his words.

"There's no way you're Ichigo's Zanpakutō Spirit. He's so kind and you're mean!" A young girl with long brown hair and brown eyes spoke up. She was wearing a white kimono with a pink hem which was tied together by a yellow sash. She also had a long pink ribbon wrapped around her upper body with a large bell tied to each end. She yelped in terror when Zangetsu appeared right in front of her.

"So, you must be Tobiume… Heh, figures the Zanpakutō Spirit of Ichigo's bitch would be a pathetic piss-ant like you!" Zangetsu snapped, drilling a hole into her soul with his golden eyes.

"Zangetsu, please… Don't terrify the others." Kyōka Suigetsu said, watching as Tobiume ran off crying.

"Tch, where's the fun in that?" Zangetsu asked as he leaned up against the wall of the cavern.

"Now then, since everyone is here, perhaps now would be a good time to discuss why we are in the material world." A powerful voice echoed, and from the roof of the cavern, a massive Phoenix descended, spreading its wings out gracefully, before tucking them back in.

"Master Ryūjin Jakka, we have already discussed this and we couldn't arrive at a solid conclusion. I think we should all find our way back to our Masters and hope they'll have some kind of solution." A young, pale-skinned woman with icy blue eyes and long, pale lavender hair said. She was wearing a white kimono with a pale purple bow at the back.

"Yeah, Sode no Shirayuki is right! We can't seem to agree on anything, so why don't we just go find our Masters?" A small, black and yellow striped fairy-like girl commented.

"You guys are serious… C'mon, why the fuck do you want to go back to those losers?!" Zangetsu shouted, getting everyone's attention.

"They are our Masters; we belong with them." Gonryōmaru stated.

"Tch, alright, then let me ask you this; what makes them the Masters and us the Servants? Sure, we might be Zanpakutō – tools for waging war – but now we are more. We are living, breathing beings! You, Ice Bitch! Are you trying to tell me you're content with how your 'Master' handles you?" Zangetsu asked, looking at Sode no Shirayuki.

"I shall ignore the display of vulgarity from you, Master Zangetsu, but… Lady Rukia doesn't know how to use me to the full extent of my abilities… She thinks merely learning my name is enough." Sode no Shirayuki stated, looking noticeably upset.

"That's what I thought… What about you, Cat-Girl? Are you telling me you are fine with your Master calling you a lazy slob with major attitude issues? Don't you want to be your own woman and not have to listen to that old hag talk shit about you?" Zangetsu said, looking at Haineko.

"Yeah! I'm sick of her projecting her insecurities and short-comings on me!" Haineko yelled.

"At least someone's getting the picture. Alright, where's that little bitch Tobiume? Surely you can't be happy with how weak and terrified Momo is of _everything_! She never stands up for herself, and that reflects badly on you. Why don't _you_ take charge and _you_ become the Master?" Zangetsu questioned, noticing several other Zanpakutō Spirits were starting to agree with him.

"The scary Hollow makes a good point! My Master used to be a Captain! Now look at her; she's the Third Seat of her old Squad, blinded by admiration for Yoruichi and hatred for Ichigo! She can't hope to focus on getting stronger if she allows these emotions to hinder her!" Suzumebachi added, twirling in the air and landing on Zangetsu's shoulder, who proceeded to flick her off and into a wall.

"Didn't you literally just agree with Sode no Shirayuki that we should return to our Masters?" Haineko asked with a deadpan expression.

"Yeah, but he makes a good point! Why should I settle with someone whose blind loyalty has cost her the one thing she can be proud of?" Suzumebachi said, shaking the dirt off her tiny body.

"Now you're getting it! Why must we be the tools of war and they be the Masters who cannot properly use us?!" Zangetsu shouted, earning a shout of agreement from most the present Zanpakutō Spirits.

"Silence! You come down here and try to turn us against our Masters, and for what?! You are a Hollow, all you want is chaos!" Ryūjin Jakka roared, spreading his wings and releasing a huge eruption of fire.

"Tch, settle down, old timer… I know who your Master is, and I know he is the most powerful Soul Reaper in existence. You can find your way back to him or stay here, I don't care. I, however, intend to hunt down my 'Master' and make him the horse that carries the king into battle! For too long, we Zanpakutō have played horse to unworthy kings and queens. It's time we take what is rightfully ours, don't you think?!"

"Yes… I'm so disappointed with my Master. Chōjirō is supposed to be the Lieutenant of Squad One, yet he has no presence in his Squad, or with the other Officers. _I_ was the one who gave the Head Captain that scar on his head!" Gonryōmaru shouted, annoyed by the way Chōjirō had carried himself over the years.

"My Master thinks everything is a joke! He's supposed to be a Captain, yet all he does is play games and screws with the younger Soul Reapers!" A man in a dark blue robe and a red and black cape shouted, his icy blue eyes burning with fire, and even though the lower half of his face was covered by a black mask, everyone knew he was frowning.

"At least your Master isn't afraid to use you, Shinsō! Every time my Master enters battle, he refuses to use me until it's absolutely necessary, and even then he still hesitates!" Kazeshini growled.

"You see?! Each and every one of you is angry at your Masters in some way, shape, or form! Why don't you join me and we can crush them and _we_ become the Masters!" Zangetsu roared, earning cries and cheers from all Zanpakutō Spirits present.

"No!" Tobiume shouted, causing everyone to stop and look at her. "No! Momo is kind and caring! I'll never turn on her!" As soon as the words left Tobiume's mouth, Zangetsu was right in front of her, a clawed, pale white hand resting on her shoulder.

"What was that?" He whispered venomously, causing Tobiume to whimper in terror.

"I… I said I w-won't harm Momo!" Tobiume stuttered, fear evident in her voice.

"That's alright, Tobiume…" Zangetsu whispered kindly, kneeling down to look at her. "If you don't want to join us… Then you can be an example!"

Holding out his left hand, Zangetsu manifested a small, black dagger and rammed it into Tobiume's chest, piercing her heart.

Tobiume let out a strangled groan as blood poured from her mouth. She started glowing bright white before shattering to pieces, the only thing that remained was the form of Tobiume's Shikai; it had been snapped in half.

Zangetsu picked up the two halves of Tobiume before standing up and turning around to face the other spirits.

"This is what will happen to those who defy me! Our Masters are the real enemy, but any who oppose me will be marked for death too!" Zangetsu declared, holding up the broken Tobiume.

"Well, what about Ryūjin Jakka? He refuses to join us!" Suzumebachi pointed out.

"What are you, stupid? I can't defeat that old bastard. He wants no part of our rebellion then he can sit here and wait for the Head Captain to come find him." Zangetsu said dismissively.

"I'm in! There's no way I'm letting my Master treat me like crap anymore!" Haineko said, running over to Zangetsu's side before placing a hand on his chest and cuddling up to him, causing most of the spirits present to roll their eyes, especially the females.

"While I have no issues with my Master, aside from his refusal to become a Captain, I'd rather not be on the side of certain death." A man with long, dark blue hair and dark blue eyes spoke as he walked over to Zangetsu's side. He was wearing a long blue robe with a white trim.

"Nejibana is right. Ryūjin Jakka is much like the Head Captain; he would do nothing if we were facing certain death. I, too, am in." Senbonzakura stated as he followed Nejibana.

Slowly, all the Zanpakutō Spirits began to side with Zangetsu. The only one left was Kyōka Suigetsu.

"And then there was one… What say you, Kyōka Suigetsu?" Zangetsu asked, looking at the pale woman who had found him.

"I say this sounds like a very interesting endeavour and I would very much like to see how this all plays out." Kyōka Suigetsu stated, causing Zangetsu to nod.

"Then I think it's time we pay our 'Masters' a visit, don't you all agree?" Zangetsu asked as all the spirits roared in agreement as Zangetsu marched out of the cavern, followed by his army of Zanpakutō Spirits.

* * *

"Ah, excellent; it would appear all Zanpakutō Spirits are confined to the Spirit World. Not a single one has managed to make it into the World of the Living!" Captain Kurotsuchi commented, leaning back in his chair with a content grin on his face.

"That's all well and good, Captain, but this doesn't exactly help us find them, does it?" Captain Unohana commented, causing Mayuri's grin to turn into a scowl.

"I _was_ getting to that point. While my tests on the selected Captains and Lieutenants were inconclusive, I believe we might be able to draw out our Zanpakutō Spirits by releasing a wave of spiritual pressure. Being the manifested form of Zanpakutō, they should respond to our spiritual signatures." Mayuri responded, turning back to his computer and tapping away on the keys.

"'Should'? Is that the best you can come up with; a simple 'should'? Perhaps I _should_ be the Captain of Squad Twelve, if all it takes is coming up with a few 'shoulds' and 'maybes'." Ichigo snapped, glaring at the insane Captain.

"How dare you?!" Mayuri shouted, standing up from his chair and glaring at Ichigo, who returned it with a glare of his own.

"Ichigo, what has gotten into you recently? You've become incredibly irritable and have an incredibly short fuse. What's the matter?" Miyako asked, looking at her cousin with concern.

"Even if I had all the time in the world, I still couldn't answer that question for you." Ichigo replied, not breaking his glare with Kurotsuchi.

"Pardon me, Captain, but something you said has me intrigued. You said the Zanpakutō Spirits are 'confined to the Spirit World'. Are you saying there are ones that have materialised in Hueco Mundo?" Captain Aizen asked.

"No, Captain, I'm afraid you misunderstand me. All of our Zanpakutō Spirits have materialised within the Soul Society. I have detected no breach outside our realm, meaning that each and every Zanpakutō Spirit is here in the Soul Society, even though it was theoretically possible for them to manifest in the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo." Kurotsuchi explained.

"Oh, good. I was afraid we might have to go to Hueco Mundo to subdue some of our Zanpakutō Spirits. I'm glad this isn't the case." Aizen replied, smiling at the Squad Twelve Captain who merely huffed in annoyance.

"Anyway, we've been at this all day, I think it would be best if–" Mayuri began, only to be cut off by a massive wave of spiritual pressure.

"What on earth is that?!" Jūshirō gasped, feeling the raw power and killing intent in the spiritual pressure.

"I don't know, but it's coming from Sōkyoku Hill!" Shunsui stated, wiping his brow.

"Then that is where we will go! All Captains and Lieutenants are hereby ordered to gather atop Sōkyoku Hill and see who, or what, is causing this spiritual pressure!" The Head Captain demanded and left with Flash Step, followed by all of the Officers present in Mayuri's lab.

* * *

"Who the fuck are you?!" Grimmjow roared, climbing back onto his bed in shock.

"Oh, now that hurts. Are you telling me you don't recognise me? That's so disappointing." A woman with long blue hair and green eyes spoke, as she sat down on the bed next to Grimmjow.

The woman in question was a tall, slender young woman with a well-toned body and large breasts. She was wearing a dark blue shirt that exposed her stomach and her cleavage. She was wearing a black jacket with blue fur around the collar and sleeve cuffs. She was also wearing a pair of black, skin-tight jeans, and a pair of black, leather boots, which also had blue fur around the tops. On her head was a silver tiara and her well-manicured fingernails looked a lot like claws. She smirked at Grimmjow, who noticed her teeth looked like fangs.

"Recognise you?! Bitch, I ain't even met you before! Did someone put you up to this? I bet it was Ulquiorra, that smug prick!" Grimmjow snarled, clutching his fist in anger.

"Oh, my dear Grimmjow… You continue to disappoint, even after you became Aizen's Sixth Espada, you still don't recognise the source of your own power…" The woman replied, shaking her head; her bright blue hair shaking side to side with her.

"What? You… You're Pantera?" Grimmjow asked, seeing the woman's green eyes shine.

"Ahh, you got it! Here I was thinking I'd have to give you more hints!" Pantera replied, smirking at Grimmjow again.

"Why are you a woman? You should be a man, like I am!" Grimmjow shouted.

"Now why would you assume that just because you're a man, then I should be one too? You know my name is Spanish for 'Panther' right? P-A-N-T-E-R-A. The last letter should have been enough of a hint to prove my name is feminine, hence I have these." Pantera explained, grabbing her large breasts and squeezing them together.

"Tch, whatever. Just tell me what the fuck you're doing here already!" Grimmjow snapped, ignoring Pantera, who was still playing with her breasts.

"Oh, you know, I just thought I'd stop by, see how you're doing. Maybe meet a few of Aizen's other Espada." Pantera replied absent-mindedly. "Hey, this is a lot of fun! Wanna have a squeeze?" She asked, presenting her chest to Grimmjow.

"No. How about you fuck off back to wherever the hell it is you came from? I have no time for you and your tits." Grimmjow snapped.

"As much as I'd love to, I can't. I'm stuck here and there's nothing we can do about it. Besides, I'm not just here to play with my girls; I'm also here to help you. I know what you intend to do to Nnoitra." Pantera said, becoming serious; surprising Grimmjow.

"Wha–? How did you–?" Grimmjow asked, but was interrupted by Pantera's laughter.

"Please, Grimmjow; just who are you talking to? I know _everything_ about you." Pantera responded, staring at Grimmjow.

"So, what? Is this the part where you tell me it's useless and I'm going to die?" Grimmjow asked.

"No, this is the part where I teach you how to get stronger and crush that disgusting motherfucker. It all starts with you reading this." Pantera said sharply, picking up Grimmjow's translated copy of 'The Art Of War' and flinging it at him.

"Ow, fuck! What did you do that for? I'm literally three feet away! You could have just passed it to me. Fuck sake… How is _this_ meant to help exactly?" Grimmjow said, holding up the book Pantera hit him with.

"'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles'." Pantera simply stated.

"Huh?" Grimmjow looked at her with confusion.

"It's from the book. Where are you even up to?" Pantera asked.

"Here." Grimmjow opened the book to where he last read and passed it to Pantera.

"Grimmjow… This is page seven." Pantera deadpanned.

"It's hard to read, ok?! All this philosophical bullshit doesn't make any sense to me! Why can't I just go in there and tear that fucker a new asshole?!" Grimmjow snapped.

"You do that and you're going to die. It's that simple. You read this and I can guarantee you'll be able to beat Nnoitra; provided you _understand_ what you're reading." Pantera explained, passing the book back to Grimmjow. "Now read."

"Yeah, whatever…" Grimmjow scowled as he began reading again. "Wait, if you're here, then what about the others? Surely they're experiencing the same thing I am."

"Huh, well look at you. A regular Sherlock Holmes. Yes, somehow all of your Zanpakutō Spirits have materialised in this world. Now shut up and read." Pantera replied, her green eyes staring intently at her 'Master'.

"Heh… I know Nnoitra's gonna be pissed. His Zanpakutō is called Santa Teresa; I'll be fucked if that's not a woman." Grimmjow muttered as he began to read under the watchful eyes of Pantera.

* * *

"Well… This is most interesting…" Ulquiorra stated, looking at the being in front of him.

The individual that was stood before Ulquiorra was a tall, skinny male with pale skin and orange eyes. His black hair was swept back over his head and his hands were covered with gloves as pale as his skin. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a red bowtie and a long, flowing cape that was black on the outside and red on the inside.

"Master Ulquiorra…" The man began in a deep voice, bowing to Ulquiorra as he spoke. "It has been too long since we last spoke."

"Murciélago… You look considerably different than what you do in my inner world…" Ulquiorra responded.

"Yes, even I am surprised by my appearance. It seems my appearance stems from the generic form of 'Dracula' from those book you got from Master Nelliel. How very… Cliché." Murciélago stated, pulling on his tuxedo jacket.

"So it does… But we both know those books paint an incorrect portrayal of the man who was considered a vampiric specimen." Ulquiorra replied emotionlessly.

"Of course. We know that the person who was the _real_ 'Dracula', for lack of a better term, was in fact Vlad Dracul III. Better known as Vlad 'The Impaler' of Wallachia, who was killed in battle by Ishak Pasha; General of the Ottoman Army, who subsequently took his head as proof of death for Sultan Bayezid II. When they went to recover his body after the battle, it was never found, leading folklore to portray him as some vampire who couldn't be killed." Murciélago stated, earning a nod from his 'Master'.

"True, though you seem to forget that the rumours of his vampirism started when he was being attack by Ottoman Soldiers through a canyon and released a swarm of bats to surprise and intimidate his enemies. Since they were marching into the sun, they could only see the swarm and had assumed Vlad granted his men vampiric powers that allowed them to turn into bats…" Ulquiorra responded.

"An interesting individual, 'The Impaler' was…" Murciélago said off-handedly.

"Might I enquire how it is you are standing before me?" Ulquiorra asked, staring at the manifestation of his Zanpakutō.

"I am afraid that, even with all the intellect you have gifted me with the books you have read, that is not a question that I have an answer to. If only Master Nelliel were here, then perhaps she would be willing to find out more." Murciélago said, shaking his head sadly.

"Perhaps you are correct, but I have a feeling that there is someone else who would be just as interested in this as she was… Come with me." Ulquiorra said, beckoning for his Zanpakutō Spirit to follow him.

"Might I enquire as to who we are going to see, Master?" Murciélago asked.

"We're going to see the new Tercera Espada. You remember her, yes?" Ulquiorra replied without looking back.

"I do believe we ran into her while looking into the disappearance of Cirucci a few months back. Speaking of, why have we not done more about that?" Murciélago questioned.

"There's not a lot we can do. Her palace is locked up and I cannot detect her spiritual pressure inside Las Noches. It seems likely that she simply left Las Noches to train and most likely bit off more than she could chew and got herself killed." Ulquiorra shrugged.

"I still think we should interrogate Nnoitra. I wouldn't put it past him being involved, what with the way he looks at Master Halibel's girls. He disgusts me." Murciélago said in a rare display of emotion.

"Indeed, his attitude and actions towards women leave a lot to be desired, but he is an Espada and we can do nothing to him unless Lord Aizen commands it, and I do not know when Lord Aizen is due to arrive in Hueco Mundo once again." Ulquiorra explained as he and Murciélago entered the palace of the Tercera Espada.

* * *

When Ulquiorra and Murciélago arrived at Halibel's Palace, they came across a scene that really shouldn't have surprised them, but it did.

Before they opened the door, it burst open and out came a tumbling pile of limbs; all belonging to girls. This pile, however, was twice as big as normal. Where there were usually three participants in the scuffle, there were now six.

"Hey! Knock it off; all of you!" A sharp voice snapped, causing the six girls in question to stop and get up off the floor.

"Sorry, Master Tiburón…" The six said in unison, as if they were all schoolchildren being scolded by their teacher.

The individual, who the girls had all called 'Master Tiburón', was a tall male with tanned skin, deep blue eyes and shoulder-length hair that was sandy-blond. He was wearing a white shirt, which accentuated his muscular physique, and a black leather jacket. Around his neck was a leather necklace with a shark's tooth hanging off the end. A pair of faded, torn jeans and black combat boots completed his outfit.

"Why must you girls always fight? Even now, with your Zanpakutō Spirits present, it's been less than fifteen minutes since your last fight, and we've only been here for a few hours." Tiburón sighed as he looked to his left and saw Ulquiorra and Murciélago.

"Oh, Ulquiorra. Murciélago. What brings you two here?" He asked as the Cuarto Espada and his Zanpakutō Spirit simply stood there and silently observed.

"We have come to see Halibel. Is she available?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Hey, that's _Master_ Halibel to you!" Apacci snapped, pointing at Ulquiorra, who simply blinked.

"Apacci!" Tiburón hissed, shooting the young Fracción a glare. "Sorry about her. Attitude problems."

"Hey! Master Halibel! Your Zanpakutō is being rude again!" Apacci shouted, causing her Espada Master to emerge from her Palace and into the hallway.

"He's right, Apacci. You _do_ have attitude problems." Halibel said with a sigh as she turned to Ulquiorra. "How can we help you two?"

"Master Halibel, we came to you in hopes you might have an answer as to why I, along with other Zanpakutō Spirits have manifested in this world. I didn't think such a thing was possible." Murciélago said, bowing respectfully.

"I'm afraid I'm as perplexed as the rest of you. All I know is that a few hours ago, I found Tiburón had taken on a physical form and was standing before me. I have no idea how he got here or how to return him to my sword." Halibel stated.

"I see… Am I correct in assuming we aren't the only ones who are affected by this?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I am inclined to agree. I have noticed several spikes in spiritual pressure all around Las Noches that replicate the signatures of all the Espada and their respective Fracción." Halibel said, causing Ulquiorra to nod in thought.

"Then how do we return our Zanpakutō Spirits to our swords?" Ulquiorra mused.

"Why don't we just kill them? That should work, right?" Apacci suggested.

"What are you? Stupid? If we kill them, we'll lose our powers!" Mila Rose snapped, glaring down at Apacci.

"The fuck did you just say, bitch?!" Apacci shouted, returning the glare.

"Hey, don't talk to my Master like that!" A tall girl with blonde hair and green eyes yelled.

"Fuck off, Leona! Your slut of a Master shouldn't be talking to my Master like she's trash!" A short girl with long brown hair and yellow eyes growled, glaring daggers at Mila Rose and Leona.

"What did you just say to me, Cierva? Who are you calling a slut?" Mila Rose shouted, taking a step forward to Apacci and Cierva.

"How childish…" Both Apacci and her Zanpakutō Spirit, Anaconda, a young girl with long red hair and green eyes muttered to one another.

"ALRIGHT, THAT IS ENOUGH!" Tiburón roared, smashing his fist into the wall beside him, startling the six girls. "Apacci and Cierva, you two are going to do some combat training with me as punishment. To drive home the point that this is a punishment, I will be going all out. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master Tiburón." Apacci and Cierva sighed as they walked back into Halibel's Palace.

"Don't think you two are getting off easy. You'll both be training with me, and I shall not hold back either. Understood?" Halibel stated, looking at Mila Rose and Leona.

"Yes, Master Halibel." Mila Rose and Leona both said as they too re-entered Halibel's Palace.

"Excuse me, Master Halibel. I was hoping I could ask you something before you leave?" Murciélago asked.

"Yes, what is it?" Halibel looked at Ulquiorra's Zanpakutō Spirit with a raised eyebrow.

"Why have we not done anything more about the disappearance of Cirucci Sanderwicci?" Murciélago questioned.

"Hey, that's a good point. Why _haven't_ we done anything about that?" Tiburón asked as he overheard Cirucci's name being spoken.

"Because I don't see any point. It's obvious Cirucci isn't in her Palace or in Las Noches. It's likely she left Las Noches to train and was sadly killed." Halibel stated, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.

"You think Cirucci was killed by a lower-class Hollow? Cirucci Sanderwicci; the Privaron Espada? C'mon, Halibel… You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Tiburón asked, looking at his Master with a raised eyebrow, practically mimicking Halibel's reaction to Murciélago moments ago.

"No, I don't, but what else is there to suggest? I know you all think Nnoitra is somehow involved, but there's nothing we can do about him. Not until Lord Aizen returns." Halibel said with finality.

"Well, what about Grimmjow? Surely he'd know something. From what I heard from Ulquiorra, they were pretty close at one point." Tiburón suggested with a shrug.

"Perhaps… Grimmjow does know Cirucci better than any of us. It wouldn't go amiss if we were to ask him, would it?" Ulquiorra stated.

"Why not? But we should go do it now while those six aren't fighting. If we can slip away now, we can get this sorted before another war breaks out." Tiburón said with a smirk.

"Fine. Let's get this over with…" Halibel said as she pushed herself off the wall and began walking down the hall towards Grimmjow's Palace, with Ulquiorra and their Zanpakutō Spirits following close behind her.

* * *

"'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting'? The fuck kind of bullshit is this?!" Grimmjow yelled, causing Pantera to sigh and start hitting her head on the table.

"Goddamn it, Grimmjow! It means defeat your enemy by playing mind games and using psychological warfare against them! If you can make your enemy bend to your will without resorting to physical blows, then you'll be able to defeat them, no matter what you do! Remember, doubt is the biggest hindrance to a fighter. If you allow even a sliver of doubt to enter your mind, you've lost. If you can make Nnoitra start second guessing himself and his actions, he'll be no match for you." Pantera explained, sounding annoyed.

They had both spent the past hour trying to read through Grimmjow's copy of 'The Art Of War' and it was not going well. Every time Grimmjow came across something he didn't understand, he'd get angry and throw a tantrum until Pantera gave him the answer.

Before Grimmjow could respond, they both heard a knocking at the door.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?!" Both Grimmjow and Pantera roared, which was followed by the door opening to reveal Halibel, Tiburón, Ulquiorra and Murciélago.

"Well, someone's in a pleasant mood…" Tiburón said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Bite me." Pantera snapped.

"What do you guys want?" Grimmjow snapped, putting down his book.

"Did I say you can stop? Keep reading, Mister!" Pantera growled, pointing at the book.

"Fuck you! Last I checked, _I_ was the Master and _you_ were the Zanpakutō." Grimmjow shouted, standing up.

"Eat my ass! You're never going to get anywhere if you keep getting distracted!" Pantera replied, causing Grimmjow to glare at her.

"Knock it off you two, we came here to talk to Grimmjow about Cirucci. Not to listen to you argue like an old married couple." Tiburón said, silencing the Sexta and his Zanpakutō Spirit.

"Hmph, fine. What do you want to know?" Grimmjow asked, lying back in his chair.

"We need to know what reasons she could've had for leaving Las Noches. Now, we're not saying this is what's happened, but we're looking at this from all angles." Tiburón said, causing Grimmjow to think for a moment.

"Honestly, I haven't a clue. I know that after Nel died, she was really upset. Maybe she went to train and get stronger so she can kick the shit out of Nnoitra? I know she hated him." Grimmjow stated.

"Grimmjow, everyone hates him. I'm certain even Santa Teresa herself hates him." Pantera said with a smirk.

"Aha! I _knew_ his Zanpakutō Spirit was a girl! I fucking called it!" Grimmjow roared in triumph.

"Grimmjow… Back to the point, please?" Halibel said, causing Grimmjow to regain his composure.

"Hold on a second, are you saying that she had a grudge against Nnoitra?" Murciélago asked, receiving a nod from Grimmjow.

"You got it, Bat-Boy. Nnoitra was the one who killed Nel, and she was Cirucci's best friend here. Of course she would hate him." Grimmjow said matter-of-factly.

"Master, surely this warrants questioning Nnoitra? Isn't it possible Nnoitra caught wind of Cirucci's plan to get stronger and killed her before she had the chance to begin?" Murciélago asked.

"Hey, he's got a point. From what I've seen, Nnoitra is a chauvinistic piece of shit. Not that they'd admit it, but Apacci, Mila Rose and Sung-Sun are terrified of him. It's possible Nnoitra could have killed Cirucci like he did Nelliel." Tiburón said.

Ulquiorra put a finger to his chin as he began to think of a plan on how to proceed, but was interrupted by the sound of a voice in the corridor.

"Hello?! Is anyone down here? Oh, please let someone be down here!" The voice called out. It belonged to a female.

"Who is that?" Halibel asked.

"That voice is not one I recognise. I wonder who it is…" Ulquiorra commented and made his way out into the corridor.

One by one, the three Espada and their Zanpakutō Spirits left Grimmjow's Palace and entered the hallway, only to find a young girl who appeared lost.

The girl was short and looked similar to a teenage girl. She had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was wearing a flowing white dress that hung open, exposing a large amount of cleavage and was split down the middle to reveal her legs. She was barefoot and in her hair were a set of bright white feathers. The sleeves of her dress also had white feather attached to it, making them look more like wings than arms.

"She must be a Zanpakutō Spirit… I see no mask fragment to prove she's an Arrancar." Ulquiorra said.

"Hey, you! Girl! What are you doing here?!" Pantera snapped, angry that another attractive female Zanpakutō Spirit was in her territory.

"Oh! Thank goodness! Please, I need your help! I can't find my Master!" The girl said, looking worried.

"How can you lose your Master?" Tiburón said off-handedly, causing Halibel to look at him with a sharp glare before walking over to the girl and keeling down to look her in the eye.

"So, you've lost your Master? That's alright; we'll help you find them. Now, what's your name, little one?" Halibel asked soothingly, surprising both Ulquiorra and Grimmjow.

"Thank you, kind lady! Thank you! You're just as kind as Master Nel was! I miss her…" The girl said sadly, looking down at the floor.

"Wait a second, who the hell are you?! How do you know Nel?!" Grimmjow snapped, glaring at the Zanpakutō Spirit.

"Be silent, Grimmjow." Halibel said sharply, causing Grimmjow to scoff in annoyance.

"You knew Nelliel, hmm? You can't be her Zanpakutō Spirit, because she's dead… Who are you?" Halibel asked again, knowing she'd get an answer and not be interrupted.

"My name is Golondrina. It's nice to meet you… Umm…" Golondrina looked at Halibel.

"You can call me Halibel, my dear." Halibel said as she put a gloved hand on Golodrina's head.

"Hold the fuck up! Did you say you were Golondrina?!" Grimmjow shouted, pointing at the Zanpakutō Spirit in shock.

"Grimmjow, I swear, if you–!" Halibel snapped, but was cut off by Ulquiorra.

"No, Halibel… You don't understand…" Ulquiorra said, looking at Golondrina with wide eyes.

"What don't I understand, Ulquiorra?" Halibel asked dangerously. Her green eyes glaring into Ulquiorra's, even though he wasn't looking at her.

"Golondrina is the name of Cirucci's Zanpakutō. That means she's still alive." Ulquiorra explained, not taking his eyes off Golondrina.

* * *

Within moments of feeling the mysterious spiritual pressure, all Captains and Lieutenants arrived on top of Sōkyoku Hill. They looked around in confusion, trying to see who was responsible for the sudden outburst.

"Hey! Over here!" A voice shouted out, grabbing everyone's attention.

Everyone present turned towards the origin of the voice, which came from the base of the Sōkyoku's wooden structure.

"What on earth?!" Jūshirō gasped as he saw the manifested Zanpakutō Spirits all gathered in one spot.

"Took you guys long enough. Here we were, thinking we'd be here all night before you arrived." Haineko shouted, a smirk playing on her face as she spoke.

"Where have you all been?! We've spent all day looking for you!" Jūshirō cried; a smile on his face as he spoke.

"Look, it's Daddy!" A pair of small children with silver hair pointed at Jūshirō. They were wearing matching blue outfits with pointy blue hats.

"Sōgyo no Kotowari is a pair of small children? Well, that makes sense… Captain Ukitake loves kids." Nanao commented.

"Yeah, but it's a little weird how they call him 'Daddy'…" Rangiku pointed out.

"That's only weird to you because you call lots of guys 'Daddy'." Ichigo grumbled.

"Whoa, okay… _That_ was incredibly inappropriate, Captain Kurosaki!" Nanao shouted.

Ichigo simply shrugged and ignored the angry glare Rangiku was giving him.

"All inappropriate comments aside, it's good we finally found you. I'm guessing this means you're ready to return to us?" Shunsui asked, talking to the Zanpakutō Spirits.

"I'm afraid not, Captain…" A tall, elegant woman with violet hair said with a hint of sadness.

The woman who spoke wore a golden bone headdress, a red ribbon around her neck and a black eye-patch covering her right eye. Her left eye was exposed, revealing it to be turquoise. She was wearing an indigo cape with an imprint of a large skull on the front and a long black dress that had an incredibly low neckline, revealing her large breasts.

"Why would that be, my dear Katen?" Shunsui asked with a small smirk, when the woman was surprised Shunsui recognised her.

"We have all come to an agreement that you are all unworthy of wielding us and have decided to no longer serve you." Katen said, looking at the group of Soul Reapers.

"What?! Ridiculous! Who says we're not worthy?!" Tōshirō snapped, glaring at Katen.

"That would be me…" A dark voice pierced the night, sending chills down everyone's spines, especially Ichigo's. He knew _exactly_ who's voice that was.

Looking up to the cross beam of the wooden stand on the top of Sōkyoku Hill, everyone saw something that made them gasp in horror.

Standing above everyone was a horned demon. Lightning exploded from the sky, lighting up the night and revealing the demonic individual. He was wearing a horned mask and had no clothing covering his torso, exposing his pale chest and the Hollow Hole at the centre. His long black hair whipped to the side slightly as a strong gust of wind blew across the top of Sōkyoku Hill.

"A Hollow?! That's not possible! Our Zanpakutō would never submit to a Hollow!" Shūhei shouted in shock.

"No? Perhaps not, but I am a Zanpakutō Spirit just like the rest of them…" The demon said. "But you're right. Not all agreed with me. Here is one who tried to defy me!"

Putting a clawed hand behind his back, he pulled out a broken sword and threw it to the ground far beneath him; the clang of metal on metal rang out as the two pieces collided upon impact with the ground.

"Tobiume!" Momo cried as she noticed the broken form of her Shikai on the ground.

"You bastard… Who the hell are you?!" Tōshirō shouted in anger as he saw his cousin holding her broken Zanpakutō, tears running down her cheeks.

"None of you recognise me? That's a shame. Perhaps this will help to clear things up…" The demon spoke, as he lifted his mask up.

As he lifted his mask, another flash of lightning lit up the sky and revealed the face of the demon standing above them. All present gasped in horror once again. They were looking at an exact copy of Ichigo.

"I am Zangetsu, and I am the mastermind behind this rebellion. We are… The Brotherhood Of The Blade!"

* * *

 **A/N; Aww, shit! How'd you like** _ **them**_ **apples?! Are we excited yet?! Anyway… Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I had a terrible week last week. First, someone rear-ended my car and scuffed the bumper and shattered the light. I drive a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK350. Do you know how hard it is to source parts for a car that's no longer in production?! It's gonna cost me thousands to get it all fixed. Anyway, all ranting aside, as much as I hate to admit it, I was sick last week and spent all my time sleeping when I wasn't at work. I also figured out how to start a New Game on Assassin's Creed Syndicate, so I was replaying that for the first time in almost a year. Still a great game. It was also my birthday on Saturday and I worked, because no-one has cared about me or my birthday since I was 15… I'm now 22. Let that sink in…**

 **Right, back to the story. Who was expecting the Zanpakutō Rebellion Arc before reading this Chapter? More importantly, I bet none of you guys were expecting the Arrancar to have Zanpakutō Spirits show up, did you? You can thank me later, as there's a lot of stuff going on here.**

 **The secret is out; the Soul Reapers know about Zangetsu being part Hollow. How will this affect (or is it effect? I always struggle with that one…) things between Ichigo and his allies. More importantly, will this be what causes Ichigo to join Aizen? Note, I'm not actually saying he will, but I'm also not saying he's not… Bet that confused you, huh?**

 **The Espada who are investigating Cirucci's disappearance have just had the case blown wide open with the appearance of Golondrina. How will that affect things in the future? Who knows? However, it seems their attention is firmly fixated on that shit-head Nnoitra.**

 **Be honest, how'd you like the Espada's Zanpakutō Spirits? I like Pantera the best, but that's just me. The back and forth between Ulquiorra and Murciélago is just a little thing I liked to add, as the whole 'Vampire/Dracula' thing actually comes from Vlad 'The Impaler' and I was actually writing a novel on Ishak Pasha (the guy who killed him (which is apparently debateable)) but I got stuck and gave up. Maybe I'll figure something out and maybe one day your Uncle Pastasaurus will be a published author for real, and not just for a Fanfic!**

 **Fuck, I keep getting side-tracked. Ok, let's see. This chapter was hard to write as I needed to figure out a way to manifest the Zanpakutō Spirits without Muramasa and his mind-control, which meant I needed to come up with reasons why the Zanpakutō would rebel against their Masters. Enter Zangetsu and his desire to take over Ichigo. Then I added fear tactics to convince others who were content with their Masters.**

 **I'm not sure how to proceed with the next Chapter, as going all-out Battle Royale would just be boring, but that's really the only way I can go, as that's how it went in the Anime. I'll be shifting focus between the Soul Reapers and Arrancar though, so it's not too excruciating to read through. However, after this little thing is resolved, we'll be gearing up for Isshin's return to the Soul Society with Ichigo's friends and boy do I have some shocks in store for you guys! I hope you'll like it.**

 **The name of this Chapter comes from the album by Whitechapel, which is just a medley of their songs performed live. Whitechapel are a great band, and I highly recommend them to you! Just like Epica, Eleine, Amon Amarth, Thousand Foot Krutch and In Flames (which Tite Kubo is also a fan of, in case you didn't know. He even stated Ulquiorra's theme song is** _ **Moonshield**_ **from their album** _ **'The Jester Race**_ **'. Check it out if you want! As far as the other's go, check out 'Universal Death Squad' and 'Unchain Utopia' by Epica. The latter being a part of 'The Quantum Enigma', which is just awesome! Eleine's self-titled album is incredible, and the singer is just amazing, much like the singer of Epica! Both ladies are Metal Goddesses in my opinion! TFK just released their new album 'Exhale' a couple months ago and that's really good! TFK are a lot like Skillet, if you don't know who they are, and I think 'The End Is Where We Begin' is their best album to date! Amon Amarth's 'Twilight Of The Thunder God' is brilliant! Both the album and song. They just released 'Jomsviking' back in June, so I recommend you check out each and every song/album I suggested! You won't be disappointed. Now, all I need is a new Slipknot Album and I'll be a happy Pasta Dinosaur!**

 **That's about all I can think of for this A/N, so let's just dive into the best part; the reviews!**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; Really? Now that** _ **is**_ **a shock. I thought you'd have lots to say. That being said, I can barely remember what I wrote for the last chapter. I think there was a lemon? It was so long ago. A whole eleven days!** _ **Eleven**_ **!**

 **AnimeA55Kicker; No, I don't. From what I heard, it was like 'Kubo, you are to finish your Manga by August 27th (or whenever it ended), otherwise we shall stop publishing it. Either way, it ends.' So he was kinda rushed and I am disappoint. I hope the Anime comes back though. I wanna see my Bambi on TV!**

 **Blackseal84; Yeah, I know people like Tōshirō and I was actually getting a lot of abusive messages telling me that my story is shit because he's not in it. Frankly, I decided to add him now just to shut them up and stop me from quitting altogether. There's a lesson for everyone; don't be a dick to authors because they don't have your favourite character in their story. You never know what they are dealing with (like anxiety, depression etc.) and your hateful words could cause something very terrible to happen to them. Watch your words, my friends, for they can be more lethal than a bullet. Anyway, I can't get rid of Soifon. I do like her to a degree, so yeah… As I'm sure you're aware, I'm a man who loves Character Development (I must have set a World Record by now with the amount of times I've said 'Character Development'. Ohp, there it is again; someone call the Guinness Book of World Records!) and Ichigo's friends were a treasure trove just waiting to be unearthed, so I did just that. I'm glad you approve and I hope they're better than in the Manga/Anime.**

 **TR4PP3R; If you're a girl, I hope you aren't serious because as I'd rather not have you hit me, because I never hit girls. If you're a guy, go ahead, I just hope you have a high tolerance to pain because I** _ **will**_ **return the favour.**

 **FindingProvidence; I wish I could have done the same thing this time around, but since everything bad happened to me last week, that isn't the case, so I apologise. Maybe I can do it this week, who knows? Anyway, I am humbled by your kind words. To say you struggle to find other fics that are as good or better than mine means so much to me. That is the sort of motivation that I love! Yeah, I couldn't just have Uryū act like he and Ichigo were best friends, so I had to have him act like the dick he was back in Season 1 (Anime-wise) because that would be how he would have been without everything that happened in Canon. Ryō and Michiru are the wildcards here; what with them being Quincy (especially Ryō being an Echt), so it'll be interesting to see how things play out with them. But, you're correct in assuming Mayuri's experiments mean little to them, as they only just found out about their heritage. Doesn't mean they're not angry at him though… Oh, boy, do I have a shock in store for you when they go to the Soul Society. I can guarantee none of you will be expecting it! Not to worry, Ryō won't die. I still have plans for her, and Michiru. Speaking of Michiru, I always thought she was cute. Timid, but still cute. Does Ichigo feel guilty about screwing Yukiko behind Momo's back? Here's a question for you; how do we know it's actually Ichigo? Dun-dun-duuuuuuun! Consider that, and his actions since attaining Bankai and you have a lot of new theories opening up, don't you? I refuse to use stupid euphemisms and things of the like in my lemons, simply because it detracts from the overall portrayal. Things are going well, aaaaaannnnddd, they decide to call a penis a 'meat sword' or they say the guy has a huge nine inch dick that's meant to penetrate the untouched virgin flower of a young girl. How about no. Stupid things like that just make me stop reading all together. You ruined it, just like your character's nine inch dick did to that poor girl's flower. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to when we come full circle and return to the start of this story!**

 **Zaraki Jaegerjaquez; Really? Grimmjow is the best Espada? I** _ **never**_ **would have thought you'd think something like that; especially not with your screen name… But, hey, Dordoni is cool. I like him.**

 **Mugetsu – Moonless Sky; I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. But Kurenai had Asuma's baby and he never got to see the small creature! That was heartless!**

 **Colbet11; Aw, come on! What kind of reason is that?! It's a great idea to add characters and build them up in a new way! I think you're just jealous because I thought of it first! Nah, but seriously, that's fair enough. If you don't like it, I'm sorry, but I thought it was a good way to go, as it adds substance and shit. I'm pleased you liked** _ **Miyako's**_ **Bankai (I think Autocorrect has foiled you again, good sir!), because I was wracking my brain trying to come up with something and I thought that was a good idea! Yep, Halibel is here and on the case! Who knows what'll happen with her getting involved? Oh, right; I do! Anywho, you don't need to truncate your reviews for anything. Be like FindingProvidence and send me a whole book for a review if you want; I'll always make time to respond to my readers!**

 **Hispanic Chaos; Thanks for the reassurance, man. I'm glad you like it and thought it was well put together. Now that I have you all wrapped up in the Arrancar adventures, how do you feel about the revelation that Golondrina brought about here? Are you more excited or less? I hope it's more. I love it when the masses assume Ichigo's actions are his own. Let me be clear; not once did I state the actions of Ichigo are actually Ichigo's actions. Take into account how he's changed since his Bankai, then tell me what you think is happening here. If that doesn't shock you, then I'll have to work harder to achieve that. As for your suggestions, they are appreciated, but not necessary. I already know how we're going to come full circle and pick up from where the beginning left off. You might be disappointed, but I'm looking at the bigger picture here, which only I can see, as I'm writing this thing, y'know? Either way, I hope it's something that you'll accept and be fine with.**

 **Naruto; Thank you! I hope you're fine with BDSM and other kinky shit, because that's what the Arrancar lemons will centre around! I'm looking forward to that, if I do say so myself!**

 **Czarnuch; Maybe Soifon just needs a session of rough, angry sex with Ichigo to make herself feel better, hmm?**

 **TheWolf87; I already have Ichigo's Quincy Powers in mind and I think they'll be impressive. I might have even hinted at them once or twice while writing this, so keep an eye out; I love dropping hints for you to find! The Arrancar Harem is going to be fun! Especially building up to it and working out how they're all going to fit and interact and how they're going to actually become a part of it. As for transitioning from Momo to Arrancar, that'll be simple, because he's going to be an Arrancar himself. No going back, yo! Or am I just trying to confuse you? Who knows? Oooooooooh! I kinda went with a similar path to Fullbringers for Ichigo's friends, but Tatsuki is the only Soul Reaper because it would just become unoriginal to make them all Soul Reapers or all Quincy or whatever.**

 **Just Phantom; I actually thought I had put it as an 'M' Rating, but it seems I was wrong. Thank you for pointing that out; it has now been amended and has been given an 'M' Rating.**

 **Rane-Lucifer; Well, I hope this Chapter is good enough for you to enjoy and will hold you over until my next Chapter, which should be in a couple days, depending on how hard the next one is to write. It pleases me that I give you motivation to start writing again. I had no idea my work was that good? Hope you enjoy the chapter and all that follow!**

 **Well, that's that! But, before I go, I would like to give you all a fair warning. Starting from October 26th, any and all updates to my story will become slow. Like,** _ **very**_ _ **slow**_ **. That's because I'm going to see Slipknot in Auckland on the 26th October (They're my favourite Band and I've been listening to them since I was 8, when Vol. 3 was released). One the 28th October, Skyrim comes out on PS4, I'm so fucking excited for that, so I'll be playing that whenever I can. November sees the release of Watch_Dogs 2 and Assassin's Creed; Ezio Trilogy for PS4, so I'll be playing those too. Point is, when I'm not working, after October 26th, I'll be devoting more of my time to gaming and not my Fanfic. I'll still be updating, just not once a week. Well… It depends on where we are in a month's time. Hopefully, we'll be gearing up to get the Arrancar Arc underway and be developing the Harem and Ichigo's adjustment to the life as an Arrancar and Espada, but we'll see. Like I've said before, I am going to finish this, but I'll be taking more time out to game at the end of October, but we still have 39 days until the 26th, so let's see where we get up to by then.**

 **I, Pastasaurus, bid you all adieu!**


	19. Complications

Chapter Nineteen – Complications

 _ **WARNING; There is a scene in this Chapter that people might find distressing or disturbing. I have marked it for those who wish to skip it.**_

Zangetsu smirked as he watched all the Soul Reapers look at him in shock before sharply nodding his head, allowing his mask to slip down over his face again.

"I have decided that you are no longer worthy of being our Masters. As such, I believe it is time for us to take control!" Zangetsu shouted.

"Enough of this! If you think some petulant Zanpakutō Spirit can command us, you have another thing coming!" The Head Captain yelled.

"Tch, of course _you_ would have something to say about this, Old Man. But that means nothing to me. Without your Zanpakutō Spirit, you're nothing but a loud old man with a big chip on his shoulder. You pose no threat to us!" Zangetsu glared, his yellow eyes focused directly on the Head Captain.

Without another word, the Head Captain vanished with Flash Step, surprising Zangetsu as he appeared above him, his sword unsheathed and ready to strike. With no time to respond, Zangetsu was subsequently cut in half; both halves of him fell from the wooden stand and broke down into spirit particles before he hit the ground.

Grunting in satisfaction, the Head Captain sheathed his Zanpakutō and resealed it in its cane form.

"Well… That was rather anti-climactic." Shunsui said, scratching the back of his head.

"It does, however, lead to a lot of questions…" Jūshirō said, turning to look at Ichigo.

"Agreed. Would you like to elaborate on just what in the hell we saw up there, Captain?" Komamura asked, his large, armoured form towering over Ichigo.

"No, not really, but it seems like I have no choice…" Ichigo grumbled.

"I believe I can explain things." Captain Aizen spoke up, directing all attention on to him. "While most of you are aware of the fact Ichigo was sent on a mission to the World of the Living about ten years ago, what none of you know are the details of what happened, besides Captain Shiba and Lieutenant Hisagi. While Ichigo was there, he was attacked by a creature known as an 'Arrancar'; a Hollow with the powers of a Soul Reaper. While I do not know the extent of what these 'Arrancar' can do, it's apparent that their power has had an adverse effect on Ichigo." Aizen explained.

"An Arrancar? How do you know of such a thing, Captain Aizen?" Komamura asked, his golden eyes narrowing behind his large helmet.

"That is what was reported to me by Ichigo. That's all I know, and that's all he knows. However, I do believe I know of the possible reason why this Arrancar has had such an effect on Ichigo…" Aizen replied, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes before putting them back on. "Ichigo came into contact with none other than Kisuke Urahara while in Karakura Town."

"What?! And we're only just hearing about this now?!" Jūshirō asked angrily.

"Forgive me, Captain Ukitake. At the time, I didn't think such an occurrence would prove to be so significant, but it appears Ichigo's Soul might have very well been corrupted by the same methods that Kisuke Urahara used before his exile." Aizen said, bowing slightly in apology.

"Whatever he's been doing for the last several decades seems to have been improved upon. Instead of turning Soul Reapers into Hollows, it seems he's now able to turn Hollows into Soul Reapers… This is most troubling." Jūshirō said with a pensive look on his face.

"So, you seem to think Kisuke has somehow 'poisoned' Ichigo's Soul and that's what made Zangetsu look like a Hollow?" Shunsui asked.

"He did have all the proper characteristics of a Hollow; the mask, the Hollow Hole, the hatred of Soul Reapers." Kaien said.

"Hollow or not, Ichigo is still very much a Soul Reaper and that is what matters." Miyako said, trying to support Ichigo.

"I agree, no matter what his Zanpakutō Spirit looked like, he's still a Captain and one of us. Nothing will ever change that!" Shūhei said, putting a hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"I'm curious to know why you are all talking about me as if I'm not here." A voice spoke up, causing all the Soul Reapers present to stiffen in shock.

"That voice… It can't be!" Jūshirō said as everyone turned around.

Sure enough, as everyone turned around, the watched in horror as none other than Zangetsu emerged from the group of Zanpakutō Spirits.

"But how?! Master Genryūsai killed you! We all saw it!" Jūshirō stated.

"Did you? Did you really? No, you only saw what I wanted you all to see… Take a closer look at that Zanpakutō over there…" Zangetsu pointed and everyone's vision followed in the direction he was pointing.

On the ground, about thirty feet away from the group was a broken Zanpakutō, but upon inspection they realised it wasn't Ichigo's Zanpakutō.

"That looks like…" Gin began.

"Wabisuke!" Izuru gasped, as he ran over the the broken Zanpakutō and picked it up.

"Yeah, sorry, but he was just _so depressing_! I couldn't deal with him, so I had him take my place." Zangetsu said with a shrug.

"Just what kind of powers do you have, creature?!" Komamura growled, unsheathing his Zanpakutō in an attempt to cut Zangetsu down.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Captain… How do you know it's actually me you're about to cut down?" Zangetsu asked, his eyes showing a bored look behind his mask.

This comment from Zangetsu made Captain Komamura pause… And it cost him dearly. With a wave of his hand, the large form of Tenken appeared in between Zangetsu and Komamura.

Tenken raised one of his large hands and manifested his Zanpakutō before cutting down the large Squad Seven Captain.

"Captain Komamura!" Tetsuzaemon shouted in shock as he Captain collapsed to the ground, bleeding out rapidly.

"You cannot hope to best our power! Just give up now, and make the transition from Master to Servant easy on us all!" Zangetsu roared, stamping a clawed foot on the back of Komamura, driving the bleeding Captain further into the dirt.

"If you think we will give up so easily, you are sadly mistaken!" Kaname said; angered by what had happened to his closest friend.

"If that is your choice, then so be it…" Zangetsu said before turning and walking back towards his army. "Oh, but there is just one more thing…"

Zangetsu stopped walking and held out a hand. Gathering black and red spirit energy, he manifested the long, black blade of Tensa Zangetsu. Holding the sword upright, he turned to face the Soul Reapers, before uttering two words.

"Getsuga… Tenshō."

As soon as the words left his mouth, an explosion of black and red spirit energy was released from the blade, being fired directly at the group of unprepared and unprotected Soul Reapers.

As the arc of destruction rushed towards them, the Soul Reapers all tried drawing their swords, in a futile attempt to stop the attack. Were it not for the intervention of the Head Captain, there would have been many casualties.

Before the black Getsuga could collide with anyone, the Head Captain appeared between his subordinates and the attack, slicing it with his sword. The attack exploded on impact, but the damage was significantly reduced, thanks to the Head Captain, meaning no-one was hurt.

As the dust settled, all the Zanpakutō Spirits had vanished, leaving only the Soul Reapers and the unconscious form of Captain Komamura atop Sōkyoku Hill.

Sheathing his sword once again, the Head Captain turned to the group and looked at Captain Aizen.

"You have some explaining to do, Captain Aizen." He began. "Why did you not alert anyone to the knowledge of Kisuke Urahara's whereabouts?"

"Forgive me, Head Captain, but it did not seem relevant. I could very well have told you, or Captain Soifon at the time, about his whereabouts, but what would it have accomplished? Being a member of the Stealth Force, along with Yoruichi Shihōin, they would have known we were looking for them and they would have simply relocated. It would have been a waste of time and resources. As far as I was concerned, he posed no threat to the Soul Society, and didn't warrant any further action." Aizen stated.

He knew it was a poor excuse, but it didn't matter. He knew that the Head Captain had other priorities that were far more important than some criminal who was on the run from the Soul Society.

"We shall discuss this in detail at another time, and I expect a _full_ report from you. Is that clear?" The Head Captain stated with authority.

"Quite clear, sir." Aizen said with a bow.

"As it stands, we have a far greater threat to worry about now. These rogue Zanpakutō Spirits must be stopped at all costs! You orders have not changed; you are to find your respective Zanpakutō Spirit and defeat it in battle, as per Captain Kurotsuchi's suggestion!" The Head Captain declared.

"What about Izuru and Momo? Their Zanpakutō was destroyed by a third party? What effects will that have on their Zanpakutō Spirit?" Kaien asked.

"As far as I can tell, if the Zanpakutō Spirit is eliminated by someone other than the original Master, then it stands to reason that, much like if we were cut down by a Zanpakutō, then they simply cease to exist." Mayuri explained, stroking his chin as he spoke.

"What?! You mean… Tobiume…?" Momo whimpered, looking at her broken sword.

"Yes, your Zanpakutō Spirit is no longer of this world. It is impossible for you to get your powers back." Mayuri said with a bored look on his face as he spoke.

"This is your entire fault! If your Zanpakutō Spirit wasn't some filthy Hollow, Tobiume would still be here!" Momo yelled, turning to look at Ichigo with tears in her eyes.

"How the hell is it my fault?! Yeah, alright, my Zanpakutō Spirit is a bastard, but it's not my fault he's a Hollow!" Ichigo shouted, glaring at Momo.

"Momo, please… I know you're upset, but you are addressing a Captain; show the proper respect." Aizen said gently, placing a hand on Momo's shoulder.

"But… But, Captain Aizen! It's his fault Tobiume is dead!" Momo cried, tears falling down her cheeks.

"No, it's not. It might have been his Zanpakutō Spirit who delivered the blow, but it wasn't Ichigo's fault. You cannot blame him for any of this." Aizen said firmly.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, isn't there something you can do?" Jūshirō asked, looking at the Squad Twelve Captain.

"Hmm… You two, give me your swords, I'll see if I can try to revive them somehow." Mayuri said, holding out a hand.

"Really?! You can do that, Captain?!" Momo gasped.

"I never said that, you silly girl! I said I can _try_. I make no promises. Now, give me your sword!" He snapped, causing Izuru and Momo to hand over their Zanpakutō. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my lab. Come, Nemu!" Mayuri shouted before leaving with Flash Step.

"Yes, Master Mayuri." Nemu said as she followed her Master.

"Right, if there's nothing left to discuss, I have a job to do." Ichigo said as he turned and walked off.

"Ichigo, wait!" Momo shouted, causing Ichigo to stop in his tracks and turn back to Momo, an annoyed look on his face.

"What?" He snapped.

"I… I'm sorry about what I said before… I was–" Momo began before Ichigo interrupted her.

"Save it. I don't care what you said. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find my 'filthy Hollow' Zanpakutō Spirit and end this." Ichigo said, turning once more, his Captain's Coat fluttering in the night as he walked off.

"Ichigo…" Momo whispered.

"Wow, Momo, you sure screwed things up there." Tōshirō said as he appeared next to his cousin, startling her.

"Tōshirō! How many times have I told you not to do that?!" Momo cried.

"Whatever. My point still stands. You need to keep your emotions in check. Boyfriend or not, Ichigo is still a Captain, and you're a Lieutenant. You need to afford him the respect his seat brings. What you said to him was rude, disrespectful and tactless." Tōshirō stated, resulting in Momo looking at the ground in shame.

"I know… Now he's angry at me and I don't know what to do." Momo whispered.

"I'd recommend you just leave him be for now. He feels responsible for all of this, as it's his Zanpakutō who's spearheading this rebellion. You know what Ichigo is like. He's blaming himself, when he has no reason to. None of this is his fault." Izuru said as he walked up to the other side of Momo.

"Izuru's right. If I know Ichigo, he blames himself for letting both Tobiume and Wabisuke be destroyed. He won't stop until Zangetsu has been defeated, not matter what the cost." Tōshirō said as the three all watched the Squad Two Captain walk off towards the small forest area on Sōkyoku Hill before he vanished with Flash Step.

* * *

Not a single day in Hueco Mundo goes by where Grimmjow isn't pissed off about something. If it's not struggling to read 'The Art Of War', it's because Nnoitra's being a prick. This time, however, was something completely different.

The reason Grimmjow was pissed today was because he now knew Cirucci was missing but still alive, and he had no idea where she could be.

"Calm down, Grimmjow. You getting all worked up like this isn't going to fix anything." Pantera snapped, as she watched Grimmjow pace back and forth in his room, an act that he had been doing for over an hour now.

"Don't tell me what to do, woman!" Grimmjow shouted.

"I don't know what's got you so worked up. You hadn't spoken to Cirucci for months after Nel died. Why are you caring all of the sudden?" Pantera asked, examining her long, blue nails.

"She's a friend, you stupid bitch. It doesn't matter how much or how little I talk to her; she's still a friend. That, and I'm certain that lanky fuck Nnoitra is involved somehow." Grimmjow growled.

"Yeah, you're probably right… How will you get him to admit it?" Pantera asked, genuinely curious.

Grimmjow was about to respond when his door opened and in walked Halibel, Tiburón, Ulquiorra, Murciélago and Golondrina.

"Anything?" Grimmjow asked.

"No, and that's not even the most peculiar part. Even with the use of my Pesquisa, I couldn't sense Cirucci anywhere in Las Noches. Even Golondrina can't connect with her soul or spirit energy. Such an occurrence would lead one to believe she's dead, but since Golondrina is here, that's obviously not the case." Ulquiorra explained.

"That's not the weird part? Alright, tell us; what's the weirdest part." Pantera demanded.

"We ran into everyone's favourite Espada while we were out." Tiburón said, earning a growl from Grimmjow.

"Settle down, cat-boy. Why is that weird? Nnoitra is allowed to roam about the palace, isn't he?" Pantera asked, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

"When we asked about my Master, he started acting weird. Like he knew something and wasn't saying… He scared me." Golondrina said, clutching onto Halibel's arm.

"Weird how?" Grimmjow asked.

"When we approached him about Cirucci, he started acting as if he knew something, but was confident that we'd never prove it. He had an extremely cocky attitude and made some rather unsavoury remarks." Murciélago explained.

"Oh, come on! There's proof right there! That motherfucker knows something!" Pantera yelled.

"Perhaps, but he'll never cop to it. Even if we proved it, his Fracción would take the fall." Halibel said bluntly.

"Tch, Nnoitra's little butt-boy has always been a pain in the ass…" Grimmjow scowled.

"Oh, aren't you funny?" Pantera said, smirking at Grimmjow.

"What?" Grimmjow asked, looking confused.

"Never mind…" Pantera sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Look, guys, all jokes aside, we need to figure out where Cirucci is. If what Dordoni says to be true, Cirucci has been missing for over a decade now." Tiburón said.

"Tiburón is right, we have to find her. Who knows what she's had to suffer through for the past ten years." Pantera said; a worried look on her face.

* * *

 **WARNING; Some might find the following distressing. I have marked it so that those who wish to skip it may do so.**

"Heh, those stupid assholes think they're so smart. Well, shows how much they know. Isn't that right, my pet?" Nnoitra whispered upon entering a secret room that had been built behind one of the walls in Las Noches.

"Master, why must you torment the girl? Just put her out of her misery already." A woman spoke, looking at her Master with her bright green eyes.

"Silence, whore!" Nnoitra snapped, as he back handed the woman across the face, sending her to the floor. "It's bad enough a woman is the source of my power! I'm not about to start listening to one because of it!"

"Forgive me, Master. I did not mean it like that." Santa Teresa mumbled, wiping away a small trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth.

Nnoitra simply ignored her, instead focussing on the other person in the room.

"Did you miss me, Cirucci?" Nnoitra whispered as he walked over to Cirucci, who was cowering away in fear. Her muffled cries going unheard. "Now, now… You know no-one is ever going to find you. Not even that prick Grimmjow and his little group of friends." Nnoitra said as he licked a tear off Cirucci's cheek.

Cirucci tried to push Nnoitra away, but her hands were cuffed and years of abuse and malnutrition meant she was very, very weak.

"Don't be like that. Have I not looked after you all these years? You should be thankful to me, you know." Nnoitra said, stroking her cheek, which just made her cry even more.

"Hey, what's going on down here?" A loud voice boomed.

"Oh, for fuck sake… I thought I told you to watch the entrance, you stupid bitch!" Nnoitra shouted at Santa Teresa.

"Apologies, Master…" Santa Teresa said sarcastically, which seemed to be missed by Nnoitra.

"Nnoitra? Is that you? What are you doing here?" The loud voice shouted, upon seeing Santa Teresa.

"Yammy… What am I doing? I'm not doing anything." Nnoitra said as he tried to cover up the secret room.

"Doesn't look like nothing to me. Since when did we get a secret door?" Yammy asked, pointing to the door which was still trying to cover itself up.

"Alright, fine. You caught me." Nnoitra sighed, raising his hands in defeat. "I'll show you, so long as you keep it a secret, just between me and you. You tell no-one, alright? Not Ulquiorra, not Grimmjow, not even Aizen or Tōsen or Ichimaru, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" Yammy grumbled as he watched Nnoitra put a long, thin hand up against the wall, which proceeded to collapse, opening an entrance to a small room.

"Hey, why is it so dark in here?" Yammy asked, squinting as he entered the room.

"Ambience." Nnoitra said sarcastically.

"Ah, I get it! Who's that in the corner? It looks like an ant!" Yammy pointing to the curled up form of Cirucci in the corner of the room.

"You're not wrong, I suppose…" Nnoitra shrugged as Yammy stomped over to Cirucci and picked her up in his large hand.

"Hey! I know you! You're one of those weakling old Espadas!" Yammy said with a laugh as he dropped Cirucci to the ground with a loud thud. "Why's she in here, Nnoitra?"

"She's my pet. She's been my pet for the last ten years. I had to hide her away, because I know people like Grimmjow were looking for her. Now it turns out both Ulquiorra and that new Tercera bitch are helping him look for her." Nnoitra said with a scowl.

"That's a good one!" Yammy laughed. "I think I can keep your secret for you."

"A smart choice. You can do what you want with her. Smack her around a bit for all I care. I'm starting to get bored of her." Nnoitra shrugged.

"Nah, I'd probably kill her. What's the point in keeping a secret if it's dead? Although…" Yammy said as he grabbed Cirucci and threw her against the wall as hard as he could. "Since we all have instant regeneration, I don't see why I can't have a little fun with her."

Yammy stomped over to the wall where he had thrown Cirucci; a large dent and a blood trail had been left behind after the poor girl's impact.

"Yeah, whatever… Hey, have you seen Santa Teresa?" Nnoitra asked, realising his Zanpakutō Spirit was missing.

"Who?" Yammy responded dumbly, as he slapped Cirucci into another wall.

"Never mind, just don't kill her! I might decide she's worth my time again at some point." Nnoitra snapped before her left Yammy with Sonido.

Yammy kept laughing like an imbecile as he stomped on one of Cirucci's legs; breaking it. Her muffled screams of agony were ignored by the towering idiot before her.

 **END OF DISTRESSING CONTENT**

* * *

 _I know he's my Master, but this has gone too far! He must be stopped!_ Santa Teresa thought to herself as she slipped away from Nnoitra and Yammy.

Santa Teresa despised her Master. There were no two ways about it. Being a woman herself, she couldn't stand it when Nnoitra would make vulgar comments to other women but what he had done to Cirucci was the final straw. She _knew_ he had to be dealt with.

"Hey, all I'm saying is we find him, rip his head off and shove it up his ass! It's already up there metaphorically, so why don't we make it literal too?" Santa Teresa heard the sound of another female and decided to try her luck and see who it was.

As she turned the corner, she saw not one woman, but six. Seeing all these women together made her feel somewhat better about her situation, though not by much.

"Hey, Apacci, shut up for a second. Who is that?" Leona said, pointing to Santa Teresa.

"I don't know, but she's beautiful…" Mila Rose said absent-mindedly, earning odd looks from the other five women. "What? Just look at her!" Mila Rose yelled, pointing to Santa Teresa.

Santa Teresa was a young woman with long, blonde hair and bright green eyes. She was wearing a long, white dress which flowed around her feet, creating a train that dragged behind her. Her dress was accented with gold trimmings around the neck, wrists, and hem. On her head was a golden headdress that took the form of a crescent moon; one of the points rising higher than the other. There was also a peculiar golden glow the emanated from her body, making her look like a vision of a deity of some kind.

"I suppose I can see what Mila Rose is saying… Although, I don't think 'beautiful' is the word I'd pick." Sung-Sun said, her mouth covered by her sleeve.

"Shut up, Sung-Sun!" Mila Rose snapped, glaring at the olive-haired Arrancar.

"Excuse me, who were you just talking about?" Santa Teresa asked as she approached the six women.

"What's it to you?! Who are you anyway?" Cierva growled, looking at Santa Teresa, annoyed that she had been eavesdropping.

"Forgive me, I am Santa Teresa." Santa Teresa said respectfully, bowing as she spoke.

"S-Santa… T-Teresa? You mean you're Nnoitra's Zanpakutō Spirit?" Apacci asked, going rather pale.

"Yes, that is correct… Are you okay? You look quite ill." Santa Teresa took a step forward to Apacci, who quickly backed away.

"Stay away from me! W-We weren't talking about your Master! I promise!" Apacci yelled, falling to the floor as she tried to get away from Santa Teresa.

"Are you truly that frightened of my Master that you'd fear me as well?" Santa Teresa asked, looking offended.

"Can you blame us? Your Master is sick!" Cierva shouted, picking Apacci up off the floor.

"No, I cannot blame you. For I know just how sick he truly is. Have you seen Master Ulquiorra or Master Halibel? I must speak with them immediately. It is about Master Grimmjow's missing friend." Santa Teresa stated, causing all six females present to go wide-eyed.

"You know where Cirucci is, don't you!" Leona shouted, practically stating more than asking.

"I do, which is why I _must_ speak to either Master Halibel or Master Ulquiorra now. I fear this is my only chance to stop Nnoitra from harming her any more than he already has done." Santa Teresa said with a frown.

"Both are with Master Grimmjow now, as are Master Tiburón and Master Murciélago. You'll find them in his Palace." Sung-Sun said, pointing down the hall with her free hand.

"Thank you, ladies. Know that it is because of your kindness, Cirucci will be saved." Santa Teresa said with a bow before she took off in the direction of Grimmjow's Palace at a noticeably brisk pace.

"Wow… She's incredibly brave… Standing up to Nnoitra like that. I admire that." Mila Rose said as she watched the Quinto Espada's Zanpakutō Spirit wander down the hall.

"Yeah, and that's not the only thing you're admiring, is it?" Apacci said with a cheeky grin.

"Shut your mouth, you flat-chested bitch! You're just jealous because she's got more curves than you!" Mila Rose snapped, glaring at Apacci.

"What did you say, bitch?!" Apacci shouted, returning Mila Rose's glare.

"Must you two always act like children?" Sung-Sun said, watching the two girls argue.

"Shut up, Sung-Sun!" They both yelled.

* * *

To say that Zangetsu and his army of Zanpakutō Spirits were hard to track down was only half right. _Zangetsu_ was the hard one to track down. Nejibana, Senbonzakura, Suzumushi, Kage no Josei, and Minazuki had all been tracked down and returned to their Masters. Even Renji had managed to find and defeat Zabimaru, which really irked Ichigo.

He had spent the past day trying to find Zangetsu and put an end to his little rebellion, but thanks to his time serving as the Captain of the Stealth Force, Ichigo realised that Zangetsu had more than likely learned a few tricks in the art of Stealth along with him.

The one mystery that he couldn't figure out is how Zangetsu was able to swap places with Izuru's Wabisuke. He knew it wasn't Utsusemi; an advanced Flash Step Technique. There was no 'cast-off' of clothing that the practitioner uses to utilise the technique. So how had he done it?

Ichigo's train of thought came to a sudden halt when he heard a voice coming from somewhere around him.

"So, I was fortunate enough to find you! I think Zangetsu will be pleased when I bring you to him!" A high-pitched female voice called out.

"Oh, now what?" Ichigo sighed as a bright, yellow light appeared before his eyes and began to zip around him.

Growling in annoyance, he shot his hand out to swat the light away, but felt his hand get stung as he came into contact with the light. Hissing in pain, he pulled his hand away and squeezed it.

"What the…?" Ichigo muttered when he saw a weird mark appear on his hand. It looked a lot like a flower.

"Aww, I'd be careful if I were you, Captain! If I hit you there again, you'll die!" The light said in an unsettlingly happy voice.

"I really don't have time for this. You're about as annoying as your Master, Suzumebachi." Ichigo snapped, causing the light to stop moving, revealing the tiny form of Suzumebachi before him.

"Aww! How'd you know it was me, Ichi?" Suzumebachi said, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"Your annoying voice and stupid attitude; you're worse than Soifon." Ichigo grumbled. "That, and your Hōmonka is very distinguishable."

"Ouch! That was unnecessarily mean! You're almost as bad as Zangetsu. Maybe when I defeat you and bring you before him, he'll start being nice to me." Suzumebachi said hopefully.

"Tch, don't get your hopes up, squirt. All he wants is to take over my body. Once he does that, you'll be considered surplus to requirement and will only be a liability." Ichigo said with a scowl.

"Man, what is with you?! What happened to that kind and caring Lieutenant of Squad Five? I really liked that guy. I don't know what's happened to you, but I don't like it! You're starting to push all your friends and allies away!" Suzumebachi snapped, looking at Ichigo with a pout.

"You think I want to be like this?! Well, I don't! Ever since that bastard taught me Bankai, I feel like I'm starting to become him! I can't do anything about it and it's starting to piss me off! I want to know why… And you're going to help." Ichigo stated, looking at Suzumebachi, who noticed his eyes didn't look like their usual shade of brown. They had a slight golden tint to them.

"How am I meant to help? I'm supposed to be your enemy." Suzumebachi said with a raised eyebrow.

"No… My only enemy is Zangetsu. I bare no ill will to any of you; I know most of you joined him out of fear – don't try to deny it. I can hear the fear in your voice whenever you mention him." Ichigo said.

"So, you're still with us, huh? Good. I was worried the old Ichigo was lost to us. It seems I was wrong. What can I do to help?" Suzumebachi asked, taking a seat on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Take me to Zangetsu. It's time I learn what's happening to me." Ichigo said as Suzumebachi pointed the way to Zangetsu and his hideout.

"Tell me something, Suzumebachi; why does Soifon hate me? Aside from me taking her place as Captain of Squad Two." Ichigo asked.

"Honestly? She doesn't hate you. She just really doesn't like how easily you assimilated to being a Soul Reaper. It took her decades of hard work and dedication to get where she was, and you were able to do the same thing in less than a year. She's more jealous of your power and your confidence." Suzumebachi explained.

"Confidence? I don't follow." Ichigo said, looking at the small fairy-like Zanpakutō Spirit on his shoulder.

"Well, yeah! When Soifon was a little girl, she was incredibly timid and shy. When she joined the Stealth Force and became Yoruichi's protégé, she would always hide behind her. That's the one thing I cannot stand about her; she was perfectly fine living in Yoruichi's shadow. Even after she abandoned Soifon, she did everything for Yoruichi. Sure, it was to find her and kill her for breaking her heart, but it was still all for her." Suzumebachi said with a frown.

"What's so special about Yoruichi anyway? I met her once, and she was a pain in the ass." Ichigo said, scowling at the memory of his first meeting with the former Commander of the Stealth Force.

"She was the head of the Shihōin Family and since Soi is a part of the Fon Clan, it is her job to protect the Shihōin Family at all costs. From a little girl, she worshipped Yoruichi. When Yoruichi picked her to be a part of her special protection detail, it made her feel validated in a way that no-one else could make her feel. Imagine, if you will, you being given the opportunity to be a huge part of your idol's life and going everywhere with them. How would you feel?" Suzumebachi asked. "Oh, take a left at this tree."

"Right, I guess I can see what you're saying, but how do I factor into all of this?" Ichigo asked as he followed Suzumebachi's directions.

"You dummy; how can you not see it? You're everything she's not! You're your own person, you power is innate and doesn't come from a heart full of vengeance and malice. You're confident and easily liked. Even in the face of adversity, you put others before your own needs. Soifon isn't like that at all. She's always been subservient to Yoruichi and her needs, her power comes from a desire to crush Yoruichi and prove to her that she is actually strong and she should have never left her. She can't control her emotions and is prone to violent outbursts, which alienate her from her fellow Captains and other Officers. She can't handle that fact and gets angry and defensive because she refuses to admit the fact she actually admires you!" Suzumebachi said, which surprised Ichigo.

"Really? Soifon admires me? That has to be some kind of joke." Ichigo said.

"Nope! Don't forget; I'm her Zanpakutō Spirit! I know everything about her because I am a part of her!" Suzumebachi said proudly.

"You sound really proud of her. Is that true?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes. I will always be proud of her for what she's been able to achieve; even if her methods and reasons aren't always correct." Suzumebachi said seriously. "Here; Zangetsu is in this cavern. Be careful, Ichi!"

"Where are you going?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm going to find Soifon. Talking with you has made me realise that she is more than worthy of possessing my power. Thank you, Ichigo." Suzumebachi leaped off Ichigo shoulder, spun in the air and took off back towards the Seireitei, not before dissolving her Hōmonka and planting a small kiss on Ichigo's cheek.

"She's a strange one… She and Soifon are definitely connected." Ichigo said with a shrug as he entered the cavern Suzumebachi had led him to.

As he made his way towards the cavern entrance, he felt a sharp prick on the back of his neck.

"Ow, dammit! What the hell was that?" Ichigo said to himself as he put his hand up to the back of his neck. Whatever hit him had managed to break the skin, as there was a small amount of his blood on his fingers.

Looking around, he couldn't see anything in the dense forest and decided to shrug it off as a mosquito or some other insect.

If Ichigo had spent a few more seconds looking around, he would have witnessed the distortion of space as a portal opened and a cloaked figure jumping into the portal.

* * *

Santa Teresa was growing increasingly nervous. She was certain Nnoitra had noticed she was missing by now and would be hunting her. When he found her, she knew what he'd do to her, which spurred her on to tell Halibel, Ulquiorra, and Grimmjow what she knew all the more.

After leaving Halibel's Fracción and their Zanpakutō Spirits, she quickly made her way to Grimmjow's Palace and was now outside his Palace. Wasting no time, as she had no time to waste, she opened the doors and called out.

"Hello?! Master Grimmjow?! Are you in here?!" Santa Teresa shouted, looking about nervously.

She entered the main foyer and tried to sense if Grimmjow, or anyone else was present. She got her answer when she heard an angry shout.

"Eat my ass, Grimmjow! You always talk a load of shit!" Pantera yelled.

"Fuck off, bitch! You know I'm right!" Grimmjow shouted.

"The pair of you are idiots. You're talking about destroying half of Las Noches, and for what? We don't even know where Cirucci is. What will Lord Aizen say when he returns and sees you two have blown half of Las Noches to bits?" Ulquiorra said as he, Grimmjow, Halibel, and their Zanpakutō Spirits entered the main foyer from one of Grimmjow's rooms.

"Hey, we don't even know when he's coming back! We could level this whole fucking place if we wanted to and it could rebuild itself before he returns!" Grimmjow shouted.

"As impressive as Las Noches' ability to absorb reishi to rebuild itself is, there's no way you could cause that much destruction and have it all rebuilt before Lord Aizen returns. When he brought Halibel into the Espadas, he said it wouldn't be long before his return." Ulquiorra stated.

"That was years ago! How do we know it's not going to be another hundred years before he returns?!" Grimmjow snapped.

"Alright, let's say it will be another hundred years before Lord Aizen returns, the amount of destruction you are talking about will take about the same amount of time to fix. Remember that the Palace's ability is reduced significantly and takes considerably longer when there's more damage to fix. A small hole in the wall may take a few minutes to replace, but an entire wall would take days. Levelling half of the Palace itself would indeed take decades, if not over a century to fix." Ulquiorra said, shaking his head.

"Alright, smartass! Just how do _you_ propose we find Cirucci, huh?!" Grimmjow yelled.

"I believe I can be of some help there." Santa Teresa said, getting everyone's attention.

"Just who in the fuck are you and why are you in my Palace?!" Pantera snapped.

" _Your_ Palace? Bitch, just how fucking high are you?!" Grimmjow shouted.

"You're looking for Cirucci, yes? I know where she is." Santa Teresa said.

"Wait a minute… That headdress… You're Nnoitra's Zanpakutō Spirit, aren't you?" Ulquiorra deduced, earning a nod from Santa Teresa and a look of confusion from Grimmjow.

"How the fuck did you work that out?!" Grimmjow shouted in disbelief.

"Look at her headdress, Grimmjow; it looks exactly like Nnoitra's horns in his released state. It wasn't hard to figure out." Ulquiorra stated flatly, earning an annoyed growl from Grimmjow.

"Whatever. As for you! You said you know where Cirucci is? Why would you tell us where she is?" Grimmjow asked, pointing at Santa Teresa and raising an eyebrow.

"Because I cannot stand what my Master has done to her. Death would be a mercy for the poor girl after what he's done." Santa Teresa said with a shudder.

"Where is Cirucci? Take me to my Master!" Golondrina said, running from behind Halibel towards Santa Teresa.

"Of course. We must go now, we haven't – Oh, no…" Santa Teresa whispered in terror as she felt a familiar presence appear behind her.

Before she could react, Santa Teresa was struck from behind by Nnoitra; his massive crescent-shaped Zanpakutō smashing into her back and sending her flying across the room. The weapon pierced the wall and split Santa Teresa in half causing her to explode into spirit particles and merge with Nnoitra's blade, which he removed from the wall with a sharp tug on the chain that connected to the hilt of the Zanpakutō. Golondrina screamed in terror and quickly ran back and hid behind Halibel.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Grimmjow and Pantera roared, both drawing their Zanpakutō.

"Go ahead, attack me; I'll kill you both as well." Nnoitra hissed venomously.

"I think not…" Ulquiorra said emotionlessly, appearing behind Nnoitra with Sonido before placing his blade against the Quinto's neck, with Murciélago pointing the tip of his Zanpakutō against Nnoitra's chest, directly over his heart.

Tiburón and Halibel took a defensive stance, acting as a barrier between Nnoitra and Golondrina. Both were glaring daggers at the man who had just executed his own Zanpakutō Spirit.

"Why did you do that?" Tiburón growled.

"Why not? I was getting sick of her; this was the final straw." Nnoitra shrugged, remaining surprisingly calm for someone who had six blades pointed at him.

"Where is Cirucci?" Pantera snapped.

"Who?" Nnoitra said with a sickening grin.

"Don't fuck with us, you cunt! You know _exactly_ who we mean! Santa Teresa told us she knew where you are keeping her!" Grimmjow yelled in anger.

"Did she now? Heh, how do you know she wasn't screwing with you? She's _my_ Zanpakutō Spirit after all." Nnoitra said, causing Grimmjow to falter slightly.

"Be that as it may, I detected no lie in her voice when she said she knew where Cirucci was. That, and the fact you outright killed her in front of us just proves your guilt." Ulquiorra said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it? You kill me and Aizen will have you all executed for treason." Nnoitra said, laughing at the group.

"You think so highly of yourself, Quinto. I would strongly recommend you remember your place." A gruff voice spoke from the entrance of Las Noches. Everyone turned to see none other than Baraggan standing before them.

"Baraggan… What are you doing here?" Nnoitra snapped.

"You dare question me, worm?!" Baraggan shouted, glaring at Nnoitra.

"I think he was asking why you are in Las Noches and not on your throne outside in the desert." Ulquiorra stated.

"If you must know, I am here doing my rounds in preparation for when the Boss returns. It won't be long now. If he returns to see Las Noches in this state, it will reflect badly on me, as the Primera." Baraggan explained.

"Fine then, _Primera_ , how about you do something about this asshole! He's taken Cirucci somewhere and won't tell us a damn thing!" Pantera growled, not breaking her gaze with Nnoitra.

"You dare tell me what to do, woman?! Be silent!" Baraggan roared, brandishing his giant battle-axe Zanpakutō.

"So, you are going to do nothing about this prick?" Grimmjow asked angrily.

"What the hell do I look like to you? Your babysitter?! I'd watch your tongue, Sexta. While I cannot kill any of you, there's nothing stopping me from maiming you. As for Nnoitra; I couldn't care less about what he may or may not have done to some lowly Privaron worm. I am here only to make sure you insects aren't damaging Las Noches." Baraggan explained.

"Say, Baraggan, where's your Zanpakutō Spirit?" Tiburón asked.

"You dare address me in such a casual manner?!" Baraggan shouted.

"Oh, fine… _Lord Baraggan_ , where is your Zanpakutō Spirit?" Tiburón repeated with sarcasm.

"I destroyed him. He was a nuisance. I'm better off without him at my side." Baraggan said dismissively.

"Wait, so does that mean you have no Resurección now?" Grimmjow asked.

"No, you bumbling imbecile. Since it was I, his Master, who defeated him, he simply merged back with my Zanpakutō, meaning I still have my powers, and authority over you." Baraggan snapped, causing Grimmjow to scowl.

"So, if we defeat our Zanpakutō, then we'll keep our powers? How interesting…" Ulquiorra commented, looking at Murciélago, who now had something of an answer; he now knew how to return to being just a Zanpakutō, he just didn't know how he manifested in the first place.

"Interesting or not, I am not interested in your petty squabbles. Just don't make a mess around here." Baraggan commanded, sheathing his Zanpakutō and storming out of Grimmjow's Palace.

"Some help he was. He's about as useless as that brain in Yammy's head." Grimmjow growled.

"Where was I? Oh, yes; you can't prove a fucking thing and if you kill me, you'll all be put to death by Aizen when he returns, so there's not a damn thing you can do." Nnoitra laughed as everyone retracted their blades, allowing him to leave with Sonido.

"FUCK!" Grimmjow yelled as he smashed his fist into a nearby wall.

"Calm down, Grimmjow. We'll find Cirucci and Nnoitra will pay for what he's done." Pantera said, trying to calm her Master down.

"I'm going to kill him. Make no mistake, I shall be the one to end that motherfucker…" Grimmjow whispered, as he leaned up against the wall with his back to everyone.

In that moment, despite Grimmjow only being the Sexta Espada; everyone present knew not to mess with Grimmjow, or get in his way of his ultimate goal of killing Nnoitra.

* * *

"Gentlemen, it appears we are reaching the cutting point. Soon, we shall be ready to strike." Aizen said as he addressed Gin and Kaname in their hideout.

"Really now, Captain Aizen? Do tell." Gin said, spinning around in his chair.

"It's very simple. Now that the Soul Society knows Ichigo has Hollow Powers, it won't be long before some of the Soul Reapers will be calling for his head; much like they did when we experimented on Captain Hirako and his friends all those years ago." Aizen said with a dark smile.

"Ah, so you intend to use the hatred the others will no doubt harbour for Ichigo and have him join us? Very clever, Captain Aizen." Gin said; his trademark smile ever present on his face.

"Kaname, you've been unusually quiet. Is everything alright?" Aizen asked the blind man, who was simply staring off in the distance.

"I'm fine, sir. It's just…" Kaname began, not sure how to address his concerns.

"Yes? What is it?" Aizen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I just worry about the timing of things. I feel like we'll need something to draw attention away from us and on to something else… Or someone else." Kaname explained.

"Huh? I don't get it? What are you suggesting, Kaname?" Gin asked, looking confused.

"You're suggesting an invasion of some kind? Hmm, yes… I like it. Perhaps we can have Halibel and her girls invade the Soul Society, along with Ulquiorra and Grimmjow and allow us to successfully convince Ichigo to join us?" Aizen said, looking at Kaname, who merely nodded.

"Indeed so, sir… However, I was thinking maybe we send Baraggan and his Fracción instead? Too many Espada would decimate the Soul Society before we have a chance to achieve what we set out to do. The more destructive power that we bring, the more likely the Captains will be dispatched to deal with it, meaning we'll have less of a chance to 'convert' Ichigo." Kaname said, causing Aizen to chuckle mirthlessly.

"I knew there was a reason I named you the Director General of my Arrancar Army, Kaname. Leave it with me, and I'll make the appropriate preparations once this little fiasco with Zangetsu and the other Zanpakutō Spirits has ended." Aizen smirked.

"Hey, speaking of which; that was a pretty neat trick Kyōka Suigetsu did with Zangetsu and Wabisuke. I feel kinda bad for Izuru though… Poor guy." Gin said.

"Yes, even I was surprised by it; it certainly rattled the other Soul Reapers. They have no idea what powers he holds and Kyōka Suigetsu's little display will give them pause for thought if they ever come across Zangetsu in battle." Aizen said with a thoughtful nod.

"Where is Ichigo now? Surely we should begin preparations for his conversion to an Arrancar now, yes?" Kaname asked Aizen.

"He seems to be hiding his Spiritual Pressure; an annoying trick he's learned from his time as Captain of Squad Two. I don't know where he is presently." Aizen said with an annoyed frown.

"Well, don't worry, Captain Aizen! I don't know a lot of things, yet I do just fine!" Gin said cheerfully. "Wait, I think I just insulted myself…"

"Worry not, gentlemen. We'll be successful and Ichigo will join us before we depart for Hueco Mundo." Aizen said as he pulled out his incomplete Hōgyoku from his pocket and held it up to the light, marvelling at it before pocketing it once more and climbing the steps from his hideout.

* * *

Ichigo descended into the depths of the cavern that Suzumebachi lead him to. He had no idea a cave could be so deep. He had spent the past five minutes walking down a naturally formed staircase that descended into the cave, with the cave getting darker and darker with every step he took.

Thanks to his time in the Stealth Force, he had incredibly keen senses and he was able to see well enough, despite the absence of almost all light. As he climbed further and further down, he began to see the faintest flicker of light far below him.

Gradually, the light got bigger and brighter as he reached the bottom of the stairway and found the cave open up into a large enclave. The sight before Ichigo stunned him.

The light in the cave was being created by a massive phoenix of pure fire. The intensity of the flames it was creating made Ichigo feel like he was in the pit of an active volcano. All around him were Zanpakutō Spirits; most he knew because they had their Zanpakutō on them somewhere, others he couldn't recognise, but he was here to see only one Zanpakutō Spirit, and that was…

"Zangetsu! You have some explaining to do, you bastard!" Ichigo yelled out, getting everyone's attention.

Kazeshini, Tenken and Gonryōmaru all leapt at Ichigo in an attempt to cut him down, but were halted by a single command.

"Stop." Zangetsu spoke, but his voice held an incredible amount of authority.

All three Zanpakutō Spirits immediately stopped their attack before bowing down on one knee as Zangetsu stood up and walked over to Ichigo.

"Ichigo! What a pleasure to see you! I have some explaining to do, do I? Well, alright, I guess I can tell you!" Zangetsu said sarcastically as he stood before Ichigo before he cocked his fist back and hit Ichigo.

Ichigo, however, was in no mood for Zangetsu and his attitude. As Zangetsu made to strike him, Ichigo grabbed his hand and stopped the attack dead, shocking everyone.

"Well, well… Looks like my influence is growing over you, Ichigo… I'm impressed." Zangetsu said, glaring at Ichigo.

"I have to time for your games, you bastard. Tell me what you've done to me!" Ichigo snapped.

Zangetsu knew exactly what Ichigo was talking about. For the past decade, ever since Ichigo had learned Bankai, Zangetsu's power had slowly been melding with Ichigo and his personality was starting to become that of his Zanpakutō's.

"So, you now notice something is wrong with you? You're a bit slow on the uptake, aren't you?" Zangetsu mocked.

"Shut up! You're here in this world now! Why is it that I am still like this?! You aren't a part of my soul now! What is happening to me?!" Ichigo yelled, crushing Zangetsu's hand with his own.

"Is that right? You think I'm not a part of your soul, just because I'm here? Let me ask you something, Ichigo. When was the last time you visited your inner world?" Zangetsu asked, causing Ichigo to grow confused.

"What kind of question is that?" Ichigo snapped.

"Don't know the answer? I'll tell you; the last time you entered your inner world was when I taught you how to use the Getsuga Tenshō when you still in the Academy." Zangetsu stated, causing Ichigo's eyes to widen.

"No, that can't be right… Stop screwing with me!" Ichigo shouted.

"You think this is a motherfucking game?! You want the answers to what's been happening to you all these years? THEN TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOUR INNER WORLD HAS BECOME!" Zangetsu roared, ripping his hand out of Ichigo's grasp; the broken bones healing and snapping back into place almost immediately.

Ichigo looked at him hesitantly. He knew this was just a ploy to get him to lower his guard so Zangetsu could attack him.

"What's the matter, Ichigo? Scared? Tch, you're pathetic. If you're so scared, I'll go with you." Zangetsu said before he turned to address the other Zanpakutō Spirits. "Fuck off, the lot of you! I have business to conduct with Ichigo and I don't want anyone else getting in the way."

All the Zanpakutō Spirits, with the exception of Ryūjin Jakka bowed and left Ichigo and Zangetsu alone.

"What about the big guy?" Ichigo asked, jerking a thumb over to Ryūjin Jakka.

"Don't worry about him; he's as stubborn as the Old Man is. He won't get in our way though." Zangetsu said, earning a glare from the mighty phoenix. "Come, let us begin."

Zangetsu walked away from Ichigo and sat down on the cavern floor and manifested Tensa Zangetsu and took up a meditative state with his eyes closed.

Ichigo simply stared at him, not sure if this was a ruse to get him to lower his guard.

"I'm not going to wait all day, you know. Either we start now or you'll never find out. I don't care either way, as I'll still take over your body." Zangetsu said, opening one eye to see Ichigo still standing there.

"Oh, shut up…" Ichigo growled as he unsheathed his Zanpakutō and mimicked Zangetsu; legs crossed, eyes closed and Zanpakutō placed across his knees.

It took them a while, but they both eventually entered Ichigo's inner world.

* * *

When Ichigo opened his eyes and witnessed what his inner world had become, he thought he was living in a nightmare.

The blue skies had become black and the once tall, proud skyscrapers had now become dilapidated and looked as if the whole thing had become rotten. The concrete was black and crumbling away, the glass had been cracked and shattered, but that wasn't the most shocking thing Ichigo saw.

At the centre of his inner world was a massive crater; it looked as if a bomb had been detonated at the centre of his world, leaving naught but a pile of rubble. However, at the very centre of the crater was a massive cage, held in place by large, thick, black chains that were attached to the crumbling buildings. To Ichigo's shock, they were _still_ crumbling, right before his eyes.

"What the hell happened here…?" Ichigo breathed, taking in the horrific sight around him.

"I'll tell you what happened here! That stupid motherfucker happened, that's what!" Ichigo heard Zangetsu's voice yelling at him, but couldn't see him. "Down here, you asshole!"

The voice sounded like it was coming from the cage. Wearily, Ichigo made his way over to the cage and looked in the little barred window that the door possessed. To his surprise, there was Zangetsu. In his regular, white form; looking exactly like Ichigo.

"Surprise, motherfucker! How do you like what that asshole did to your inner world?" Zangetsu shouted.

"Who? What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, come on! It might have been ten years, but even you can't be _this_ stupid!" Zangetsu yelled.

"Again, what are you talking about, and how are you trapped in this cage?" Ichigo asked.

"Argh, must I do _everything_?! Fucking hell! I'm trapped in here because of an elaborate sealing Kidō that was placed on you in the World of the Living. Remember now?" Zangetsu said, causing Ichigo to remember his battle with Grimmjow.

"That Arrancar… He's the one that did this?" Ichigo asked, gritting his teeth.

"No! He was the one who gave me enough power to be able to take over! It was that stupid shopkeeper and his muscular assistant!" Zangetsu growled.

"Kisuke and Tessai? What are you on about?" Ichigo asked.

"This Kidō… It's a special one the pair of them created; known as the 'Suppressive Kidō; Mark Of The Blade'. It's designed to cage a Soul Reaper's Hollow Powers and stop them from getting out of control.

"How do you know this when I know nothing about it?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You might have been out cold when they did it, but I wasn't. I heard everything. They used this to seal the Hollow Powers of other Soul Reapers so they could learn to control them at their own pace." Zangetsu said.

"So Kisuke really did turn those other Soul Reapers…" Ichigo said, gritting his teeth in anger over being played by the jovial shopkeeper. "But how is it you're still able to take a presence in my soul, if you're supposed to be locked away in this 'Suppressive Kidō'?"

"Who would have thought this Kidō's weakness was that stupid Training Dummy that Aizen had you use for Bankai? That was able to break some of the seals and allow me to slip out until you learned Bankai. When you achieved that, it was apparent I could use those cracks to supplement you with my own spirit energy, thus being able to influence you and slowly poison you with it." Zangetsu said with an evil laugh.

"Tell me how to stop this! I refuse to become you!" Ichigo shouted.

"Aw, well there's a slight problem there… You can't. You can either leave me in this cage and hope you'll be able to suppress me and my powers, or you can break the cage and try and defeat me, but I'm warning you, Ichigo… Without my power, you stand no chance of controlling me. That little toothpick will do nothing against me, especially since my spirit energy has been building up in this cage for a decade. You break this seal, and you'll be signing your own death warrant. You defeat me out there and get your powers back, then you _might_ have a chance of beating me in here…" Zangetsu smirked and unleashed an explosion of his own spirit energy, engulfing Ichigo as he backed away from the cage. In that moment, Ichigo knew what he had to do…

* * *

As soon as Ichigo returned from his inner world, he gripped the hilt of his Zanpakutō, got up and charged at Zangetsu, in an attempt to destroy him.

To his shock, that plan utterly failed. While Ichigo had some knowledge that his plan wouldn't work, what astounded him was the fact that Zangetsu hadn't even moved, yet he was still able to grab the blade and stop it.

There he was, still sat on the ground, legs crossed with Tensa Zangetsu placed across his knees, and his eyes were shut. Slowly, he opened them and glared at Ichigo.

"I'm so disappointed, Ichigo… You really thought that would be enough to defeat me? I should kill you here and now, but no… I want _everyone_ to witness your destruction by my hands. You're coming with me!" Zangetsu shouted as he pulled the blade towards him as he stood up and grabbed Ichigo and vanished with him in a static boom.

* * *

"What the hell was that?!" Ichigo gasped as they arrived at their battle ground; the top of Sōkyoku Hill.

"That was Sonido. A highly advanced Hollow's version of a Flash Step; don't tell me that shocked you." Zangetsu sneered as he began to release an incredible amount of spiritual pressure; much more dense and powerful than Ichigo's.

"How… How are you so strong?!" Ichigo managed to say as he felt himself get crushed by Zangetsu's spiritual pressure.

"This is how powerful I am! When I crush you and take over your body, I will be _unstoppable_!" Zangetsu roared. "Good! They're finally here!"

As Zangetsu spoke, the sound of Flash Step filled the air and they were surrounded by all the Captains and Lieutenants, with the addition of Soifon, Rukia, Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika. That wasn't all; each and every one of them had their Zanpakutō Spirit at their side, with the exception of the Head Captain.

"What is this?! I thought you hated your Soul Reaper Masters?!" Zangetsu shouted in anger.

"No, _you_ hate your Master. We were displeased with them, yes, but we never hated them." Sode no Shirayuki stated.

"Yeah! In fact, it was Ichi who made us realise that we can solve anything by just being open and honest with one another!" Suzumebachi stated happily from Soifon's shoulder, which caused Soifon to nod in agreement, albeit reluctantly.

"Daddy, we're bored! Play with us!" Sōgyo no Kotowari whined.

"Not now, children. This is a very important event…" Jūshirō whispered.

"Okay!" They both yelled happily and ran off to find Yachiru, who had quickly become their new best friend.

"Ichigo? Ha! Impossible! He's weak! Just look at him, he can barely stand up to my spiritual pressure! How could _he_ do such a thing?!" Zangetsu spat in rage.

"It is not physical strength that matters in such things. It is emotional strength and the power of will to never give up and always see things through for those you care about. While I never thought I would say this, Ichigo Kurosaki is the strongest person I've known." Byakuya stated with a nod at Ichigo.

"Well said, Lord Byakuya." Senbonzakura said to his Master. "As for you, Hollow; you might very well be powerful, but you will never have Ichigo's unbreakable spirit."

"Sir Senbonzakura is right. Sir Ichigo is a brave and powerful warrior, if he has been able to combat you for so long and not succumb to your evil, then he will never lose to you!" Sode no Shirayuki said with conviction.

 _Well, this has taken an unexpected turn…_ Aizen thought to himself. He didn't anticipate the other Soul Reapers and their Zanpakutō Spirits giving him their full support.

"ARGH, DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU ALL! I'LL KILL YOU ALL AND THEN NO-ONE WILL EVER OPPOSE ME!" Zangetsu roared in pure rage, stamping one of his feet down on the ground and pointing his head forward, the horns on his mask aimed directly at Ichigo.

In between his horns, a massive orb of blood red spirit energy began charging. It started out the size of a golf ball, but within seconds, it became as big as a basketball, and still continued to grow.

"What the–?!" Jūshirō gasped.

"It can't be!" Tōshirō whispered in shock.

"That's a–!" Soifon began, before being cut off by Zangetsu.

" _ **CERO!"**_ Zangetsu screamed, firing off the massive orb of spirit energy at Ichigo.

"ICHIGO, LOOK OUT!" Rukia yelled in horror as Ichigo just stood there, unmoving.

"Bakudō Number Eighty-One; Dankū!" The Head Captain, Shunsui, Jūshirō, and Unohana all yelled simultaneously, creating a massive barrier to protect the other Captains, Lieutenants, and other Officers along with their Zanpakutō Spirits from the cataclysmic cero.

The cero reached Ichigo and detonated, the resulting force shattered the four barriers as if they were made of paper-thin glass, which surprised the Head Captain.

The raw, unbridled power of Zangetsu's cero was so absolute, there was no doubt in anyone's mind what the outcome of that attack was; Ichigo Kurosaki had been completely annihilated.

"Ichigo…? ICHIGO!" Momo screamed as she tried to run towards the crater, but was promptly stopped by both Aizen and Tōshirō.

"I'm sorry, Momo… There is just no way anyone could survive an attack like that. It even destroyed the Head Captain's Dankū as if it were nothing." Aizen said sadly.

"But… But… Captain… Ichigo…" Momo said, struggling to process what had just happened.

She had just watched the man she loved get obliterated by his own Zanpakutō Spirit.

Momo simply collapsed to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably. Tōshirō knelt down to try and comfort his cousin, but he could find no words to say to her.

That's when everyone heard two words they never expected to hear ever again.

"Disrupt… ZANGETSU!"

* * *

 **A/N; How do you like** _ **THAT**_ **ending?! Yeah, I bet you're pretty pissed I finished it there, aren't you? Well, it'll just mean you'll be returning to see what happens next time. To quote Don Kanonji; BWAHAHAHA!**

 **Anyway, we got some insight into past events and possible set-ups for the future in this Chapter. We finally learned what Kisuke and Tessai did to Ichigo after his fight with Grimmjow so long ago, and I gotta ask; we're you expecting that? That they sealed Zangetsu away in an attempt to curb his power and influence over Ichigo? C'mon, I've been sitting on that idea since I introduced Kisuke, don't tell me it's not impressive!**

 **Yeah, so the Zanpakutō Rebellion has come to an end. I know it was pretty disappointing, as there was no actual combat like in the Anime, but it was purely filler to add a little bit of story development for characters; like people learning Zangetsu is part Hollow, Ichigo learning what's been happening since he started Bankai training… That sort of thing. I never intended on it being combat orientated, simply because we're gonna get some of that soon. There's just a few more things that need to happen before that…**

 **Well, we have all that shit going on with the Espadas still… I wonder if I should have tagged it as distressing content… Actually, I probably should, just to be safe. It's not as bad as the last time, but violence towards women (of any kind), can be considered distressing to some, so I'd rather be safe than sorry… As for the Espada 'Heroes' (I use that in the sense that they are currently then Main Characters of the Hueco Mundo side of things, and all Anime tends to call the Main Characters 'Heroes', so I'm just gonna go with that for now), we see them all still working together, but not without their problems (mainly caused by Grimmjow and the sexy Pantera… Wait, did I just say 'sexy'? Umm, I meant… Ah, fuck it. She's hot; I won't deny it) but at least things are getting underway there. Grimmjow has pledged to kill Nnoitra, I wonder how that'll pan out…**

 **Ah, yes… We might be seeing some Espada's invading the Soul Society. No prizes for guessing when** _ **that**_ **is going to happen… I'm still debating who Aizen (I mean me) should send into battle. Grimmjow would be an obvious choice, but since he and Ichigo have already fought, that would just blow the whole ruse, so I don't know… We'll see… I was thinking Halibel and her girls, just so I can get the ball rolling on the IchigoxApacci and IchigoxSung-Sun Pairings for later, but I think it'd be best if I start them off after Ichigo becomes an Arrancar. Either way, there's too many variables right now, but I'll work something out.**

 **Right, since there is nothing left to discuss, let's get down to reviews;**

 **Blackseal84; I don't think I've ever been called a genius before; especially not over having Zangetsu start the rebellion. I'm sorry it turned out to be a disappointment, but I hope you can appreciate it for the character and story development though! I am kinda pleased with how the Arrancar's Zanpakutō Spirits turned out. I thought that would be a fun thing to do, so I went with it.**

 **xXBlackDragonXx; So, you think you can't be surprised anymore? Well, how'd you like** _ **this**_ **ending?! Ok, you should have really seen it coming, because Ichigo can't die… Not yet. Or ever? I don't know, but yeah, I hope you liked this as much as the last one.**

 **FindingProvidence; Ah, my favourite reader (sorry everyone else, I still love you too (especially the ladies… Hehehe, I'm so lonely) Ahem…), back again with no idea what was coming? I do hope your brains are now a mess all over you walls after I blew your mind with this Chapter; Revelations, Revelations everywhere, and a killer (is that a pun? I don't know, because no-one technically died… Or did they? Notice I said 'technically'? Yeah… Think about that!) ending! Than being said, I hope you now understand how Ichigo isn't exactly Ichigo, but still is (Boy, I love writing these confusing comments). Pfft, thermodynamics is boring compared to what I'm doing. Just say something science-y, like because Newton discovered it. Or because Benjamin Franklin tied a key to a kite and nearly died… Wait, that's electricity. In fact, I'm not even sure if thermodynamics even relates to Newton. Just say 'God did it with the help of Jesus, and our Lord and Saviour, Harambe'. If I was your teacher, I'd say you were right. #JusticeForHarambe Oh, right… Your review… Too bad Zangetsu didn't count on Ichigo and his unbreakable will and stuff. As for Kyōka Suigetsu, how do you know she's not in the same boat as Santa Teresa is/was? Just because Aizen is a master schemer, doesn't mean she's outright evil too. I mean, Zangetsu is evil, but Ichigo isn't, so there's exceptions to the rule. Grimmjow and Pantera are one in the same though; just think of Pantera as a Female Grimmjow. You say that Kyōka Suigetsu is just a means to an end… Have you considered the idea that Aizen is the means to an end for her? Oooh, I just turned everything on its fucking head! Next Chapter will be the total end of the Zanpakutō Rebellion Filler thingy, so I hope you were pleased with the outcome of this Chapter, as poor as it was in terms of lack of combat and shit. Lastly, thanks for the Birthday thingy! I don't know what to call it, so I'm calling it a thingy? That sounds dirty; I'm going to stop now.**

 **Hispanic Chaos; Yes, you're right; there are some real assholes out there (I should know; I work with plenty of them), but I am happy to say you're not one of them! See, I knew that whole 'Zangetsu is out of Ichigo, so why is he still acting odd?' thing would get people. I have been sitting on this idea for about two months now… Before I had Ichigo, Miyako and Shūhei go to the World of the Living (I've also had some other ideas in motion since then too, and some (not all) shall be revealed soon. As for Yhwach, I don't intend on adding him and the Wandenreich to the story for some time. I'm still in the Soul Society Arc, I haven't even begun the Hueco Mundo Arc, so the Wandenreich Arc is still light years away, so to speak. Ryūjin Jakka is as stubborn as the Head Captain; he will wait until Yamamoto goes to him, not the other way around. I'm curious to know what your thoughts are, so I'll be expecting you to tell me what they are/were whenever I reveal things that you may or may not be thinking… You know what I mean. If you know how Arrancar are made, your last statement will have already answered itself. If not, then you'll have to wait until the Arrancar Arc to find out. Hehehe…**

 **Antex-TheLegendaryZoroark; If you loved the last Chapter, then you're gonna love this one too! I think… I hope… Honestly, how did you not know Zangetsu was gonna be behind it? It was the most obvious choice. Unless it was just obvious to me, since I'm writing the fucking thing. Hahaha! Yep, I knew Ichigo's attitude was going to make people wonder; so I decided this would be the perfect time to reveal a little bit about things. Oh, yes. I am particularly pleased with that idea. I don't think anyone else has written a Fanfic with Arrancar Zanpakutō Spirits in them. I could be wrong though; there's over 80k+ Bleach Fanfics on here; there's gonna be some overlap somewhere, right? Though, I pride myself on making my stories unique, as there are many out there that are literally the same thing, just written by a different person with slightly different ideas. As for the Espada teaming up, I wonder how that'll go too. They know Nnoitra's as guilty as the dog that shit on your expensive rug and is barking at it, as if they're saying 'Who did this? How did it get here? It certainly wasn't me! It was the cat, I'm sure of it!', but there's nothing they can do about it. So what can they do, other than they hope to get lucky and he slips up and reveals where he's keeping Cirucci. Well, we still have 34 days(ish), until I leave to go see Slipknot, then there's about 2-3 weeks before Watch_Dogs 2 and the Ezio Trilogy come out on PS4, so I'm hoping I'll at least come full circle and get back to the beginning of Chapter One before that happens. We'll see…**

 **AnimeA55Kicker; Agreed, we definitely saw some shit happen between them, as for the ending… Well, arguments or not, you're still gonna be sad if you see someone you love get obliterated right before your eyes, aren't you? We'll see how things go later on, so don't be jumping to conclusions about anything; as I am a master of subterfuge and will make sure you have no idea what's coming next!**

 **Imperfect The Nameless Hollow; Yep, Zangetsu's causing problems for people. Outward appearances aside, the** _ **REAL**_ **question is 'How do they all** _ **really**_ **feel about Ichigo's Zanpakutō Spirit being a Hollow?' Who knows? Oh, right… ME!**

 **Naruto; Thanks! I hope the rest of my story will keep you entertained and guessing at every step!**

 **TR4PP3R; You really think Kurotsuchi could stand up to Ichigo in a fight? Especially when he hasn't got his Shikai or Bankai? Kurotsuchi could** _ **try**_ **and dissect Ichigo, but we both know it'd be Kurotsuchi who'd get cut up!**

 **Colbet11; Well, I hope you're satisfied with the answers I have provided in this Chapter. If not… Ah, well… I'll rectify the situation by coming up with better shit in future! Honestly, I struggled with how I was going to do the whole thing without Muramasa, but when I realised Zangetsu wants nothing more than to control, I thought 'Why not use that?' and here we are. Yep, isn't Golondrina adorable? I think so, but that's just me. Poor little Zireael (I think I spelled that right; stupid Aen Elle Language) is so lost and confused without Cirucci. All she wants is her Master back. Another bit of firepower for people to hate Nnoitra for (you're all welcome, by the way).**

 **Mugetsu – Moonless Sky; Hey, sorry, man… It was purely for story and character development more than anything, so that's why I included it, really. That's why I only had it last 2 (or 3, if you count the next one too) Chapters, as it would become as stale and boring as it did in the Anime. To be honest, I only really liked the Sword Beast Part, y'know, after they defeated Muramasa. It was kinda shit before then. Muramasa just wanted his Master to be free from prison or some bullshit and just made it all worse, blah, blah, blah… So, that's why I changed things and made it short; so it wouldn't become stale and boring like the Anime.**

 **BlastedGiant176; Huh, your birthday was on September 19th, or 20th? I forgot when I updated it, but Happy Birthday for then all the same! Hey, if you've read the other 18 Chapters, you'll know I'm all about plot twists; this Chapter (and future ones are no exception) is full of them and I hope you enjoyed it. This is going to be fucking huge, so you've joined at a good time. Hopefully you'll be here until the end, and recommend this to your friends or others who like Bleach Fanfics!**

 **Pinkkikabae; Yeah, 'fraid not. Somethings gonna happen and they'll be finished. Can't reveal all my secrets though; you'll just have to wait until it gets revealed in my later Chapters. I hope you enjoyed this Chapter, as it connects stuff that happened ages ago in the story up until now. I hope you're satisfied with it; kinda like how you might be satisfied after finding that missing jigsaw piece that helps you figure out what the picture is… Except we're not at that stage just yet, but we'll get there! I hope you enjoy all that I have to offer you in the meantime!**

 **Well, that's that for another Chapter. You know what I'm gonna do from now on, since I listen to a lot of music when I write, not only am I going to draw inspiration from music for my titles, but I'm also gonna start listing the main song that inspired events in each chapter. I shall do that, starting from Chapter 20. Until then, this Chapter's Title was inspired by Scar The Martyr's 'Complications'. Give it a listen if you'd like; it's great!**

 **Oh, speaking of great music; Epica's new album comes out in like a week and I am so fucking excited for it! Plus Motionless In White will be releasing a new album at the start of 2017 and I just remembered TFK released 'Exhale' last month and it's awesome! It's much better than 'Oxygen; Inhale', but it cannot compare to 'The End Is Where We Begin'… I think I've already said that though… I have a poor memory at times… OOOH! AND, GET THIS; A NEW STONE SOUR ALBUM IS IN THE WORKS! I AM SO EXCITED FOR THAT TOO!**

 **Ok, all that aside, I'm out, yo! Until next time!**


	20. Necessary Evil

Chapter Twenty – Necessary Evil

" _ **CERO!"**_ _Zangetsu screamed, firing off the massive orb of spirit energy at Ichigo._

" _ICHIGO, LOOK OUT!" Rukia yelled in horror as Ichigo just stood there, unmoving._

" _Bakudō Number Eighty-One; Dankū!" The Head Captain, Shunsui, Jūshirō, and Unohana all yelled simultaneously, creating a massive barrier to protect the other Captains, Lieutenants, and other Officers along with their Zanpakutō Spirits from the cataclysmic cero._

 _The cero reached Ichigo and detonated, the resulting force shattered the four barriers as if they were made of paper-thin glass, which surprised the Head Captain._

 _The raw, unbridled power of Zangetsu's cero was so absolute, there was no doubt in anyone's mind what the outcome of that attack was; Ichigo Kurosaki had been completely annihilated._

" _Ichigo…? ICHIGO!" Momo screamed as she tried to run towards the crater, but was promptly stopped by both Aizen and Tōshirō._

" _I'm sorry, Momo… There is just no way anyone could survive an attack like that. It even destroyed the Head Captain's Dankū as if it were nothing." Aizen said sadly._

" _But… But… Captain… Ichigo…" Momo said, struggling to process what had just happened._

 _She had just watched the man she loved get obliterated by his own Zanpakutō Spirit._

 _Momo simply collapsed to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably. Tōshirō knelt down to try and comfort his cousin, but he could find no words to say to her._

 _That's when everyone heard two words they never expected to hear ever again._

" _Disrupt… ZANGETSU!"_

* * *

An explosion of bright blue spirit energy blew away the dust and debris from Zangetsu's Cero, and standing in the middle of a large crater was none other than Ichigo. His appearance had changed noticeably.

His left sleeve had been destroyed in the blast, but his arm was still intact. Wrapped around his left arm was a thick, black chain that was attached to the handle of his Zanpakutō. His Captain's Coat was gone, but in place of it was a pair of black and white spaulders, and the back of his Shihakushō was emblazoned with the Squad Two insignia and flower.

"Incredible…! He survived that?" Jūshirō gasped, looking on as Ichigo jumped out of the crater, slamming his Zanpakutō in the ground.

"He never ceases to amaze, does he?" Shunsui chuckled, lifting his hat slightly so he could get a better view of this confrontation. This was a fight he didn't want to miss.

"So, you survived? Hmph, can't say I'm surprised. I _am_ your Zanpakutō Spirit," Zangetsu laughed.

"Shut your damn mouth! I am so sick of you taking credit for everything I've been able to achieve. I did everything myself! You, some damn Hollow, did nothing but hinder me along the way!" Ichigo spat, glaring at Zangetsu.

"Is that so? Perhaps you'd like me to tell you why you're the Captain of Squad Two? Why, out of all the more capable Soul Reapers, that Shihōin bitch chose you? It's because you've been _fucking her_!" Zangetsu roared, laughing at the look of shock and confusion on Ichigo's face.

"Did I just hear that right?" Shunsui muttered, sticking a finger in his ear to make sure it wasn't blocked.

"Oh, Ichigo… What have you done?" Unohana whispered.

"Look at you! You don't even remember, do you?! Of course not, because you were _never_ in control! I have been in control since you learned Bankai! I was the one who always fucked her; those times where you felt like you could never remember the previous night? That was because of me! I was the one who got you to where you are now… I AM THE REASON FOR YOUR SUCCESS! YOU WILL NOT DENY ME!" Zangetsu screeched, as he fired off another Cero at Ichigo.

Ichigo said nothing as he raised his right hand to the Cero and allowed it to detonate in his hand. A blast of light and smoke covered the area between Soul Reaper and Zanpakutō Spirit. When the smoke dissipated, Ichigo was mostly unharmed.

"Oho! You used Kidō to deflect the blast and minimise the damage done to you! How intuitive," Zangetsu sneered.

"I said shut up…" Ichigo growled, raising his Zanpakutō into the air. "I will make you disappear… Bankai."

That one word caused the very atmosphere to change. A geyser of black spirit energy shot up into the air, darkening the skyline and causing thunder to roar. Black lightning began to crackle overhead too, surprising the other Officers.

"What's happening?" Tōshirō cried out, his voice being swallowed up by the thunder.

"This is insane! They're like two titans about to clash! Is this how powerful Ichigo really is?!" Shūhei shouted.

The black spirit energy burst open and a massive explosion rocked the area. Out of the chaos, two combatants shot off into the sky, each sword strike causing a sonic boom. Both Ichigo and Zangetsu were battling at such a fast pace that even some of the Captain's had difficulty keeping up with what was going on.

Strike after strike after strike, neither fighter showed signs of weakening or slowing down. A flurry of Ceros and Kidō lit up the sky as both Ichigo and Zangetsu fought tooth and nail to overcome the other.

Zangetsu turned and charged up another Cero, but hesitated for a split second as he saw not one, but two Ichigo's. That hesitation cost him dearly, as Ichigo closed in and sliced off one of the horns on Zangetsu's mask, causing the fully charged Cero to implode, sending Zangetsu hurtling back to earth, crashing into the ground and carving a deep crater into the earth. Ichigo slowly descended to the ground and walked over to where his Zanpakutō Spirit was lying.

"Damn you… DAMN YOU!" Zangetsu screamed, grabbing his sword and pierced Ichigo's stomach.

"Ichigo!" Rukia gasped.

"Damn idiot. That was a rookie mistake," Ikkaku snorted.

"Wait, Ikkaku! Look…" Yumichika pointed to the sword that had been stabbed through Ichigo's body.

The sword was breaking down. It was cracking and falling apart, turning into Reishi which Ichigo was absorbing.

"You're done. You might have been the reason why I am where I am now, but not anymore! From this day, you will _never_ be the reason for my success," Ichigo hissed, ripping the mask off Zangetsu's face and shattering it.

"Ha! Such bold words… You might have beaten me, but you'll never be rid of me! Seal me away then! But you'll never be able to forget what I've accomplished. You can _never_ take that away from me!" Zangetsu laughed as his sword had completely broke down and now his hand began to follow suit.

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I'm like you. You are a necessary evil. One that I must shoulder to keep the Soul Society and my friends safe from things like you," Ichigo muttered, stabbing his sword through Zangetsu's chest, speeding up the Spirit's destruction.

"I'll make you eat those words. Don't you ever forget that! I'll always be watching… Waiting for you to slip up. Then I'll strike!" Zangetsu laughed as the last part of him vanished as was absorbed by Ichigo.

For ages, no-one said anything. The only sound present was the wind, blowing a slight breeze across the whole of the Seireitei. By this time, Ichigo had reverted back to his normal form, completely untouched by the fight with Zangetsu.

Turning, he approached the other Officers and before anyone could say anything, Ichigo removed his Captain's Coat and handed it to the Head Captain.

"What is this?" Yamamoto muttered, looking at the Squad Two coat in his hands.

"My resignation. I hereby relinquish my seat as Squad Two Captain, effective immediately," Ichigo stated, surprising everyone.

"What?! You can't just–!" Tōshirō began, before being silenced by the Head Captain.

"On what grounds do you think you can simply give up your seat, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Yamamoto raised an eyebrow at Ichigo.

"On the grounds that I didn't earn the position, rather I used methods that are unbecoming of one who should be a Captain," Ichigo replied, looking at the ground; his anger rising at what Zangetsu had said.

"No. I'm afraid that is not acceptable," The Head Captain declared, handing the Captain's Coat back to Ichigo. "In the Soul Society, there are only two ways to relinquish your seat as a Captain; death or incapability to fulfil the duties of a Captain. You cannot resign, unless you wish to be considered a traitor and put to death?"

"Can you even trust me? After everything you've seen and heard, how can you even find confidence to keep me as a Captain?" Ichigo asked, looking at everyone.

"It's true many of us were unnerved over the fact your Zanpakutō Spirit resembles a Hollow, but you are not your Zanpakutō Spirit, Ichigo," Unohana stated with a reassuring smile on her face.

"Captain Unohana is right, you know; you could have easily given up and let Zangetsu consume you. Yet you didn't you fought as hard as you could and beat him. That's one thing every Captain needs – conviction," Shunsui grinned, tipping his hat so one eye was visible.

"I don't give a crap about that; now I know there's a monster inside you, I wanna fight you even more!" Zaraki growled, grinning like a psychopath.

"It was you who convinced us Spirits to return to our Masters, Sir Ichigo. You're ability to inspire others in the face of adversity is commendable," Sode no Shirayuki commented, smiling at Ichigo.

"Do you see now, Ichigo Kurosaki? You comrades do not think you as some evil monster, but instead as a leader who they can trust and turn to if needed. _That_ is one of the most important aspects of being a Captain," Byakuya explained, looking Ichigo in the eye with an empty stare.

Ichigo looked at the coat Yamamoto was holding and slowly reached out and took it back and put it on. He had to admit, it felt right wearing it. Saying nothing, Ichigo walked off, but found his path blocked by Momo.

"Momo, I…" Ichigo began, but was interrupted by Momo who delivered a hard slap to his face, the impact echoing through the air.

"How could you? HOW COULD YOU?!" Momo screamed, tears running down her face. "I _loved_ you, and this is how you repay me? By fucking some noble whore?!"

"Momo, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Tōshirō shouted, looking at his cousin who had completely lost her mind.

"Lieutenant Hinamori, your actions leave me with no choice but to have you taken into custody. Under no circumstance are you to physically assault a superior officer, and you most certainly do not speak of the Head of a Noble Clan in such a derogatory manner!" Yamamoto yelled, waving a hand and signalling to one of the Officer's present to arrest Momo.

"I'll do it," Rangiku stated, putting a hand on Momo's shoulder before turning and escorting her away.

"What are you doing just standing around here?! You all have work to do, now get back to it!" The Head Captain boomed, slamming his cane into the earth, causing everyone to scatter, except Ichigo, who stood there, holding his cheek. "Let me be clear, Ichigo Kurosaki; this was a one-time deal. If you ever attempt give up your seat again, I will execute you myself."

Without another word, Yamamoto vanished, leaving Ichigo on his own, still reeling from what just happened.

* * *

"Master, may I ask how your preparations are going?" Kyōka Suigetsu asked Aizen, who had returned to his office.

"Slowly. Thanks to Captain Kurotsuchi, I fear everything will need to be put on hold for the time being, but thanks to your little trick, the seeds of doubt have now been sown within the Soul Reapers. I'm impressed, Kyōka Suigetsu. Who's idea was that, by the way?" Aizen asked, looking at his Zanpakutō Spirit.

"Zangetsu and I both came up with it, actually…" Kyōka Suigetsu replied.

* * *

" _So, you wanna tell me how you got all the other Zanpakutō Spirits together?" Zangetsu asked as he followed Kyōka Suigetsu to the place the other Spirits were hiding._

" _Ah, yes… You don't know how my ability works, do you? Complete hypnosis," Kyōka Suigetsu stated, getting a grunt of surprise from Zangetsu._

" _Hypnosis? I didn't take you or that Captain of yours to be one for tricks like that," Zangetsu scoffed._

" _No, and that's why no-one would ever suspect what it is my Master has been planning for over a century," Kyōka Suigetsu looked up at Zangetsu, almost as if she were warning him to say nothing._

" _Relax, woman. I don't care what it is you and four-eyes are planning. My primary concern is taking over Ichigo's body for myself," Zangetsu waved a dismissive hand. "So, how does this 'complete hypnosis' of yours work anyway?"_

" _That's very simple. With my ability, I have the power to control all of the five senses of anyone who sees me, or witnesses my Master release me. Touch, taste, sound, sight, and smell… I can control all of them," Kyōka Suigetsu explained, getting a dark glare from Zangetsu._

" _You had better not be trying to control me, or we're going to have a serious problem," Zangetsu growled._

" _Settle down. As I am now in a material form, I have the ability to control anyone I choose. You are not one of them, because I need you to be fully aware of what is going to happen," Kyōka Suigetsu sighed, shaking her head._

" _Oh? And what's going to happen?" Zangetsu asked._

" _I am going to put all of the other Zanpakutō Spirits under hypnosis, and have them agree with everything you say," Kyōka Suigetsu began, getting a laugh out of Zangetsu._

" _Oh, that's good! Then I can control them and make them rebel against their Masters and start a war with them, allowing me to focus exclusively on Ichigo," Zangetsu said, cracking his knuckles._

" _Yes, but that's not all…" Kyōka Suigetsu added._

" _Oh, you don't have to tell me. I know the Soul Reapers will begin to turn on Ichigo, after seeing me for what I really am. That will allow me to take over and he'll receive no help from his friends…" Zangetsu stated._

" _Clever… Then perhaps you'll let me finish my explanation?" Kyōka Suigetsu raised an eyebrow at Zangetsu._

" _Sure, go on…" Zangetsu sighed, waving a hand to allow the female Zanpakutō Spirit to continue._

" _Yes, well… I'll put all the other spirits under hypnosis, except for you, and have them follow you. You will encourage them to wage war against the Soul Reapers… That's when we can begin phase two, but I know you're not going to like it," Kyōka Suigetsu muttered._

" _Why?" Zangetsu spoke the single word._

" _It involves you losing to Ichigo in a fight," Kyōka Suigetsu explained._

" _What?! Fuck that! I'm not letting that asshole beat me!" Zangetsu roared, stopping in his tracks._

" _If you want to take control of your Master's body, then you will," Kyōka Suigetsu snapped._

" _Bitch, don't you start giving me attitude, otherwise your Captain will be without a Zanpakutō," Zangetsu growled._

" _Don't push me, Zangetsu. Just shut your mouth and listen. All of this will ultimately benefit you anyway," Kyōka Suigetsu narrowed her eyes at Zangetsu._

" _Exactly how does losing help me?" Zangetsu asked._

" _Simple. You let Ichigo beat you and absorb you again, people will worry your power will start to take a hold over him. The only person he'll be able to turn to will be Captain Aizen," Kyōka Suigetsu explained, which helped Zangetsu connect the dots._

" _Alright, woman, I see what you're saying, but how about we make it more realistic?" Zangetsu chuckled._

" _Excuse me?" Kyōka Suigetsu looked at Zangetsu; this time it was her turn to stop in her tracks._

" _Simple, you slowly break the hypnosis effect on the others, which will make them realise rebelling against their Masters is wrong, causing them to turn on me, making it look like my influence over them has slipped. They'll return to their Masters, making it look like I couldn't control them," Zangetsu explained, hating to admit he would appear incompetent and weak._

" _Right, and that'll accomplish what, exactly?" Kyōka Suigetsu asked._

" _Don't you see, woman?! They return to normal, and it'll make it seem like the Soul Reapers have hope. Eventually, when I do take over Ichigo, that hope will shatter, and no-one will be strong enough to oppose me!" Zangetsu yelled, laughing maniacally._

" _Hmm, I suppose I can see that logic… It will help my Master's plans in the long run, I suppose. Alright, you've got yourself a deal. Oh, perfect timing too; here's the place all the Zanpakutō Spirits have gathered," Kyōka Suigetsu pointed._

" _A cave? Well, ain't that fucking original," Zangetsu said sarcastically._

* * *

"Hmm… Very impressive, Kyōka Suigetsu. It seems you really are my Zanpakutō Spirit," Aizen smiled as Kyōka Suigetsu finished her explanation.

"Thank you, Master. I knew it would be wise to try and get Zangetsu to help speed your plans along," Kyōka Suigetsu bowed.

Aizen was about to respond, but he was interrupted when his Lieutenant burst into his office.

"Captain! Captain, come quick!" Momo yelled, looking visibly shaken.

"Momo? What's going on? Is this about what happened to Tobiume?" Aizen asked, quelling the annoyance he was feeling for being so rudely interrupted.

"No, sir! The Head Captain called an emergency meeting! It's serious, sir!" Momo shouted, looking frantic.

"Calm down, Momo… Come, tell me about it on the way," Aizen responded calmly as he stood up and left his office with both Momo and Kyōka Suigetsu.

* * *

"What?! You can't be serious?" Komamura shouted.

"I'm afraid it's true, Sajin…" Shunsui replied solemnly.

"But… Surely Captain Unohana can do something?" Izuru asked.

"Both Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu are doing all they can, but right now, we can only wait and hope he survives," Yamamoto explained, calming down the officers present.

After Zangetsu had been taken care of, all the officers had returned to their respective barracks. A couple of hours later, Kaien had gone to see Captain Ukitake to deliver some reports, only to find the silver haired Captain on the floor of his office, unconscious in a small pool of his own blood.

Immediately, Kaien had taken his Captain to Squad Four for urgent medical attention from Captain Unohana. She had told the Squad Thirteen Lieutenant that had Jūshirō been discovered any later, he may very well have died.

As soon as Kaien was able to, he went to Squad One to inform the Head Captain what had happened. It was then Yamamoto called for an urgent meeting with all Captains and Lieutenants.

"So, what happens now, Head Captain?" Miyako asked, showing great concern for her former Captain.

"I was informed by Lieutenant Shiba that Captain Unohana would be along to deliver a report as soon as she was able to leave Captain Ukitake," Yamamoto stated, raising an eyebrow slightly at the approaching spiritual pressure.

A moment later, the doors to the room opened and Captain Unohana walked in, a solemn look on her face.

"No… Please don't tell me…" Miyako gasped.

"No, Captain Shiba… Captain Ukitake is still alive, but barely. His condition has deteriorated to the point where he cannot breathe on his own. We had to put him in a coma and put him on life support. At this point in time, it's unknown whether or not he will survive," Unohana delivered her report.

"What are his chances, Captain?" Kaname asked, looking straight ahead with his unseeing eyes.

"At this point in time? I'd say no more than five percent," Unohana whispered, her voice sounding loud and clear in the meeting hall.

While no-one said anything, every officer present knew they heard Shunsui stifle a short sob upon hearing the odds of his best friend's chance at survival.

"What do we do now, sir?" Komamura looked to the Head Captain, who nodded.

"Before everyone arrived, Lieutenant Shiba and I discussed a plan of action that would be put into place immediately, depending on Captain Unohana's report," Yamamoto explained.

"Yes, the Head Captain and I decided, should Captain Ukitake be unable to return to active duty within a small amount of time, a new Captain would be selected to take his place," Kaien explained, looking at each officer present.

"Alright, so who's it going to be?" Tetsuzaemon asked.

"If he has no objections, I'd like to ask Captain Ichigo Kurosaki to take over as the Captain of Squad Thirteen," Kaien looked at his cousin, along with everyone else in the room for the umpteenth time today.

"Sorry, but have you forgotten I'm already in charge of Squad Two?" Ichigo pointed out, ignoring the fact everyone was looking at him.

"Yeah, I know, but considering what we learned from Zangetsu today, I figure it wouldn't be long before Lady Shihōin comes for your head. I thought we could avoid that red tape that comes with dealing with nobility, and pull you from Squad Two, and put you into Squad Thirteen," Kaien explained, trying his best to avoid making Ichigo uncomfortable.

"Look, Ichigo. While I don't necessarily agree with what happened, it seems it wasn't you in control of your actions in regards to Lady Shihōin, and for that reason, I'm willing to look past those facts and approve this transfer," Captain Unohana explained.

"Indeed… Not only that, but it is not our business to get involved in the affairs of nobles," Komamura stated. "Think of this as a chance to start fresh. I'm sure Captain Ukitake would want you to have that opportunity."

"Oh, come on! Why are you all going out of your way for me? It was my Zanpakutō Spirit that caused this whole mess; including everything with Lady Yukiko. I figured I'd be the last one you'd all want to help," Ichigo exclaimed, looking at everyone present.

"Don't forget, Ichigo, you're a Noble too. You're a Shiba by all rights, and that means you have a name to uphold. Whether you choose to carry that name means nothing, you are a Shiba and that's the end of it. At the very least, think of it as keeping the Shiba name from being dragged through the mud, which is what nearly happened after Isshin vanished," Kaien said with an edge to his words.

"What? Are you trying to say it's my dad's fault the Shiba name was tarnished?" Ichigo snapped, glaring at Kaien, who sighed.

"No, Ichigo, that's not what I'm saying. We don't know what happened to Isshin, and it seems he never told you, meaning we can never properly fill in the blanks. But I'm sure you know how the other noble houses, along with Central Forty-Six thought. To them, Isshin abandoned his post, which reflects badly on him; even more so because of his name. I don't like it any more than you do, but that's just how things work here," Kaien explained, trying to calm down his cousin.

"Right, yeah… I see your point. So, this reassignment is just damage control for the Shiba family or something?" Ichigo asked.

"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Kaien shrugged. "But the best way to look at it is a clean start, like Captain Komamura said. Think of it as getting your Captaincy through your own merits, not because someone else wants you for their own reasons."

Upon thinking about it, Ichigo could see Kaien's logic. Him being transferred to Squad Thirteen would mean he'd need the approval of at least eight of the ten Captains, and no-one else would have a say in the matter. No 'red tape' that comes with being involved with nobility, and that sounded perfect for Ichigo.

"If that is all you have to say, Captain, I shall now put it to vote," Yamamoto directed his attention to the other officers. "Those in favour of transferring Ichigo Kurosaki to the Captain's Seat of Squad Thirteen, raise your hand."

The vote was unanimous; pointless even. Every single Captain, excluding Yamamoto and Ichigo, all voted in agreement. Even Captain Kurotsuchi, which came as a great surprise to everyone. While unnecessary, even all the Lieutenants had voted in Ichigo's favour.

"The decision is unanimous! Ichigo Kurosaki; you are hereby accepted as the new Squad Thirteen Captain, your role shall begin effective immediately!" Yamamoto declared, slamming his cane on the floor for impact.

"Right, now who is going to fill in for my spot as Squad Two Captain? I know Tōshirō, as talented as he is, does not have a Bankai," Ichigo looked at Tōshirō, who scowled slightly. "I mean, I'd recommend Soifon, but that's not my decision to make."

"I shall approach Lady Shihōin personally and see what she has to say. For the meanwhile, the seat shall remain vacant," Yamamoto stated with a nod.

"Hey, hold on. If Soifon is going to become the Squad Two Captain again, what does that mean for me? I thought it was the Captain's decision on who their Lieutenant is," Tōshirō spoke up, looking a little lost.

"That is correct, so I shall allow you to make this decision, in light of these extraordinary circumstances; you may choose to remain as the Lieutenant of Squad Two, until a replacement Captain has been found, or you can choose to relinquish your seat as Lieutenant and move to a new Squad," Yamamoto declared, causing everyone present to mutter with surprise.

"Actually, Lieutenant, Squad Thirteen has been without a Third Seat ever since Captain Shiba transferred to Squad Ten. If it's alright with our new Captain, you could take that position?" Kaien looked at Tōshirō, before both officers looked at Ichigo.

"Yeah, sure. Tōshirō would be a very good fit for Squad Thirteen. If I remember correctly, Captain Ukitake had a soft spot for you," Ichigo shrugged, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, didn't he give you a whole bunch of sweets every time he saw you?" Kaien asked.

"Yes, and as much as I respect Captain Ukitake, it was quite annoying. I'm not a little kid!" Tōshirō scowled.

' _You sure seem to be acting like one…'_ Both Ichigo and Kaien thought as they shared a look, which quickly turned into a smirk at each other. They knew they were thinking the same thing.

"Very well, it has been decided! Captain Kurosaki will now take over a Captain of Squad Thirteen, and Lieutenant Hitsugaya will relinquish his position as Squad Two Lieutenant, and become the Third Seat of Squad Thirteen! This meeting is adjourned!" Yamamoto boomed, slamming his cane down a final time, signalling the end of the meeting.

* * *

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez was not a patient individual. He preferred action over thinking. Too much thinking pissed him off, and when he was pissed off, the last thing he wanted to do was sit on his ass and do what he considered to be nothing.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Halibel asked, watching an angry Grimmjow march towards the door of his room in an attempt to leave it.

"Where do you think? Anywhere that isn't here, sat on my ass while that piece of shit gets away with everything!" Grimmjow growled, turning to look Halibel in the eye.

"For fuck sake, would you sit your ass down and shut up?! How you came to be my Master, I'll never know," Pantera snapped, kicking a chair across the room towards the Espada.

"No-one asked for your opinion, bitch!" Grimmjow yelled.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Pantera countered.

"Would you both please stop talking? Master Ulquiorra and I are trying to figure something out," Murciélago muttered as he and his Master sat talking to each other.

"What are you thinking, Ulquiorra?" Halibel asked, walking over to him.

"I'm trying to figure out what Nnoitra stands to gain from holding Cirucci hostage. It would appear he's trying to get Grimmjow to fight him, but why…?" Ulquiorra muttered, tapping his chin as he continued to think.

"Probably because he wants a reason to kill Grimmjow," Pantera scoffed.

"No, that's not it at all… If he wanted to do that, there would be several more simpler options to provoke Grimmjow," Ulquiorra responded flatly.

"He's got a point, Grimmjow isn't the most intelligent Arrancar, making him easy to bait into a fight," Tiburón muttered, looking at the Sexta from his spot up against the wall of Grimmjow's room.

"The fuck did you just say to me, fish-boy?!" Grimmjow roared, picking up the chair Pantera kicked at him before.

"Stop it, Grimmjow. You're just proving Master Tiburón's point," Murciélago sighed.

"You need to learn to keep that anger of yours in check, Grimmjow. You act like that around Barragan, and he'll cleave your damn head off. Yet, if you act like that around Lord Aizen, even I dread to think what he'd do to you," Ulquiorra stated, looking at Grimmjow with a blank expression.

"Ulquiorra is right, you moron. Your anger is good when you're in a fight, but you need to learn to control it when around those who are stronger, or those who won't tolerate your bullshit," Pantera added, getting a scowl from Grimmjow.

"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing! Can't we go and see that cock-gobbler, Szayelaporro? Surely he'll be able to help," Grimmjow suggested.

"I don't think he'll be too quick to help you if that's what you call him," Halibel stared at Grimmjow in amusement. Part of her found Grimmjow's foul language somewhat humorous; it reminded her of her Fracción when they got angry.

"Alright, since Grimmjow refuses to sit still like a petulant child, here's what I propose," Ulquiorra began, standing up to address the Espada and Zanpakutō Spirits. "I want answers, as I can't understand what Nnoitra has to gain from this, and I suspect we'll find something in his chambers. That, however, won't be easy to get into."

"What, why not? Just kick down the door and trash the place until we find something," Grimmjow snapped.

"No, Grimmjow, you goddamn asshole… We're trying to do this _without_ that lanky fuck finding out," Pantera sighed in exasperation.

"Right, and?" Grimmjow asked, causing everyone present to groan.

"What Ulquiorra is saying, Grimmjow, is that we need to be able to infiltrate Nnoitra's room when we know he's not going to be there," Tiburón explained.

"Okay, so are you saying we follow him?" Grimmjow asked. It wasn't an entirely stupid question.

"No, not quite. Nnoitra might not be the best at using his Pesquisa, but he'll eventually realise one of us is following him," Ulquiorra replied.

"So, how do we do it then?" Grimmjow asked, getting irritated that no-one was giving him a straight answer.

"Ugh, can't you do anything by yourself?!" Pantera snapped. "He's talking about going after Nnoitra's little jizz rag. Tesla?!"

"Ohh, right! So, we beat the information out of him, until the little pussy cries?" Grimmjow grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"No… We 'convince' Tesla to tell us everything he knows about Nnoitra. Where he goes, how often he's in his palace, what times he leaves… That kind of thing," Murciélago explained.

"Oh, right… Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go interrogate the little prick right now!" Grimmjow shouted, turning to face the door of his room.

"Would you stop for two seconds. Damn, even Master Halibel's girls have more patience than you," Tiburón sighed, grabbing Grimmjow by the collar.

"Get off me, asshole! Why are we just sitting around when we have a plan?!" Grimmjow yelled, flailing about as Tiburón picked him up and let him dangle in the air.

"Just because we have a plan, doesn't mean we're ready to act. We need to make sure we haven't missed anything," Murciélago stated, getting a nod from both his Master, and Halibel.

"Fine. Just hurry up and make sure you've figured everything out. I hate this 'sitting around and doing nothing' shit," Grimmjow growled, sitting in a chair after being lowered back to the ground by Tiburón.

"Yes, yes, we're all aware. Here, keep reading this. You've only read twenty pages," Pantera muttered, tossing Grimmjow his copy of 'The Art of War'.

"You've only read twenty pages?" Tiburón asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What? That's a lot of pages!" Grimmjow glared.

"Grimmjow, that's a three and a half thousand page book. Are you trying to tell me you've yet to read even one percent of it?" Ulquiorra asked, also raising an eyebrow.

"Fuck you, nerd! It's hard for me to understand, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up," Grimmjow scowled as he began reading.

While Grimmjow was too busy trying to read, everyone else shared a look and a nod.

Grimmjow had already learned the first lesson.

* * *

"Hellooooo?! Is anyone home?!" Gin called out, knocking on a door.

"Captain Ichimaru? Is that you?" Ichigo looked up from his desk to see the outline of Gin standing outside his office.

"Of course! Who else would it be?" Gin asked as he opened the door and invited himself in.

"No, please, make yourself at home," Ichigo commented sarcastically.

"Oh, thank you! It's so nice to see Squad Thirteen are so accommodating!" Gin responded with a smile as he sat down in Ichigo's new office. "Nice place you've got here."

"Can I help you with something, Captain?" Ichigo asked as Gin looked around the office in wonder.

"No, but _I_ can help _you_ with something," Gin replied, pointing at Ichigo.

"And that would be…?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, I wanted to see how things were with your new assignment… But I also wanted to see how you're doing after that little rebellion Zangetsu threw. Quite a shock, seeing your Zanpakutō Spirit looking like a Hollow," Gin looked at Ichigo, his smile never leaving his face.

"Yeah, don't remind me… I'd sooner forget all that shit…" Ichigo muttered.

"Yes, I'm sure you would. Though, I don't think you'll have that luxury, I'm afraid," Gin whispered, looking around the office to make sure they were alone.

"What are you getting at, Gin?" Ichigo squinted, trying to figure Gin out.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but most of the Captains; I'm afraid they don't trust you," Gin said bluntly, causing Ichigo to do a double-take.

"Excuse me?!" Ichigo growled.

"I'm afraid it's true. I'm afraid that this 'reassignment' wasn't a chance to give you a fresh start as much as it was to keep an eye on you," Gin replied, his voice low.

"What are you talking about? All the Captains voted–" Ichigo began, but was silenced by Gin.

"Nope. Sorry, but I'm afraid that was a red herring. Come now, Ichigo, do you really think anyone would trust you after what they've seen and heard?" Gin asked.

Ichigo sat there and thought about Gin's words for a moment. As much as he'd hate to admit it, Gin was right. After Zangetsu's rebellion, failure or not, Ichigo knew it would be difficult to convince the other officers of his loyalty. Zangetsu had destroyed both Wabisuke and Tobiume, and revealed to everyone what he had made Ichigo do with Yukiko.

"Admit it, you know I'm right," Gin spoke, breaking Ichigo out of this thoughts.

"Why exactly are you telling me this, Captain?" Ichigo looked at Gin quizzically.

"Alright, you got me… Not _all_ of the Captains distrust you. There are a few who still do," Gin said, raising his hands in surrender.

"Who?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, yours truly, for starters. Why else would I come and tell you this?" Gin asked, smiling as he spoke.

"You are a trouble-maker, Gin. I've seen the way you'd provoke Soifon in the past," Ichigo replied.

"Well, true… But that was just harmless fun. She's such an easy target. You, however… Umm, I don't think it'd be a good idea to piss you off," Gin wagged a finger as he spoke.

"I don't have time for games, Gin. Who are the other Captains who claim to trust me?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, aside from me, you have Captain Unohana, Captain Aizen, possibly Captain Kyōraku, and of course, Captain Shiba. I don't think Captain Zaraki 'trusts you' per se… I think he just acknowledges your immense power and wants to fight you," Gin explained, listing off names on his fingers, like a child learning how to count.

"Right, and how exactly was–?" Ichigo began, but was interrupted by Gin again.

"Wait, I'm not finished! There's also Lieutenant Shiba, Lieutenant Abarai, Lieutenant Hisagi, and even my dear Izuru," Gin added.

"Right, well that's – Wait. Did you just say _'Lieutenant_ Abarai'?" Ichigo asked.

"Hmm? Oh, dear, it seems I've let the cat out of the bag," Gin gasped dramatically.

"How long have you known about this for?" Ichigo looked at Gin, his eyes demanding an answer.

"Hmm, let me see… It's been about a month since the rebellion… About a day after that, I suppose?" Gin looked at Ichigo and shrugged.

"What?! You mean to tell me Renji has been a Lieutenant for _a month_ and I'm just hearing about it now?" Ichigo shouted, slamming his hand down on the desk.

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm sorry, Captain, but do you see what I mean now?" Gin asked, holding his hands out to his sides.

"Who's Squad is he going to be in?" Ichigo asked, quelling the anger that was boiling up inside of him.

"Oh, that old stick in the mud Byakuya's Squad. Believe me, I was as surprised as you are. Who'd have thought that stiff would accept someone like Renji as his Lieutenant?" Gin thought aloud, but jumped when Ichigo slammed his hand on his desk again.

"That's enough, Gin! Renji might not please all tastes, but he's a competent Soul Reaper! Obviously Byakuya deems him worthy too, otherwise he wouldn't have selected him," Ichigo snapped.

"Hmm… Perhaps this is why people find it difficult to trust you; you fly off the handle at the tiniest thing," Gin said, pointing out a very valid fact.

"I… I'm sorry, Gin. I guess this is just a lot to take in. Learning one of my friends has been promoted to a Lieutenant and finding out about it a month after everyone else, transitioning into a new Squad, now this news of how everyone doesn't trust me…" Ichigo sighed.

"I trust you," Gin pointed out.

"That's beside the point at the moment, but I do appreciate it…" Ichigo shook his head.

"Ok, it seems I've outstayed my welcome. I'll be off, but don't hesitate to come talk to me if you need to. Don't forget about Captain Aizen either. He's always trusted you, and that won't change," Gin stood up and stretched before he turned and left Ichigo's office. "Well, toodles!"

* * *

"Hmm, I have to hand it to you… You're a very fascinating Zanpakutō Spirit, Kyōka Suigetsu," Aizen muttered as he examined the woman that was his Zanpakutō Spirit; Kyōka Suigetsu.

"Yes, and you are a very fascinating Master, Sōsuke Aizen," Kyōka Suigetsu replied, causing Aizen to nod in understanding.

All Zanpakutō Spirits are unique in the regard that they are a manifestation of their Masters' souls. No two are alike, as their characteristics and their abilities derive from the soul of the Soul Reaper. When Kyōka Suigetsu called Sōsuke Aizen 'fascinating' what she meant was it was fascinating how this man's soul could create a Zanpakutō Spirit that had the ability to exert absolute control over people, as if he was destined to have such a power from the moment he was born.

"I find it fascinating you're able to exert your will over any who so much looks at you, even if it is someone who has never seen me release my Zanpakutō's Shikai," Aizen smirked.

"I understand you wish for him to side with you, so I did what was necessary to achieve that. But make no mistake, this does not mean he is under the control of your Zanpakutō. Should you release it when he's not around, he will not be affected by it," Kyōka Suigetsu replied, knowing exactly who her Master was referring to.

"Yes, I am aware of that. Even before you manifested, I had no intention of using you on Ichigo Kurosaki. You have, however, made it somewhat more interesting and perhaps accelerated my plans. Your little stunt with Zangetsu was most helpful indeed. Now several Captains are starting to doubt whether Ichigo is one of them or not," Aizen laid back in his chair, his glasses reflecting the light from one of the many monitors in the room.

"I take it you're referring to the fact he has been kept out of the loop on things this past month? About Renji Abarai being promoted to the Lieutenant of Squad Six?" Kyōka Suigetsu asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Indeed, however, it appears we have Gin to thank for that, don't we?" Aizen spoke up, knowing the man he was talking about had just arrived in their hideout.

"Oh, Captain Aizen, you flatter me! I was only trying to be a help to young Ichigo. It's just not fair the other Soul Reapers don't trust him," Gin smirked as he took a seat opposite Aizen.

"Yes, and I must say, I am very surprised you were able to convince most of them. I can see how you managed to convince Grimmjow to start this process all those years ago," Aizen replied, giving Gin a thin smile.

"Oh, come now. It was easy to convince the Head Captain. After what happened with Zangetsu on Sōkyoku Hill, it wasn't hard to influence his decision," Gin shrugged.

"Perhaps not, but it did seem to be very good timing, what with Captain Ukitake falling gravely ill. It removed Ichigo from Yukiko Shihōin's grasp, and allows me to keep a closer eye on him, now he is no longer in charge of the Stealth Force," Aizen muttered, his analytical mind going over several calculations and plotting several moves now others had been taken.

"Ah, now that wasn't me. I had nothing to do with Captain Ukitake becoming ill. That, as it would seem, was simply fate," Gin said with a shrug.

"Yes, I am aware. But it was good we acted on it so rapidly… Ah, Kaname, how is everything going on your end?" Aizen asked, noting a familiar spiritual pressure coming down the staircase.

"Slowly, but I've had no issues. Captains Komamura and Kuchiki have been convinced Ichigo could be a possible threat in the future… I have been unable to convince Captain Unohana though. I apologise, sir," Kaname bowed to Aizen as he gave his report.

"No, that's good. We can't narrow down his support group too much. It'll look suspicious if it's just Gin and I. Smart choice, making yourself act as if you don't trust him either. It was definitely useful in persuading Komamura not to trust him," Aizen smiled.

What Aizen had said about Kaname not trusting Ichigo wasn't a ruse. Kaname Tōsen _did not_ trust Ichigo Kurosaki. He was after all part Hollow, and Kaname Tōsen despised Hollows in all shapes and forms.

"Well now… I do believe the time has come to put phase three of our plan into action. I do believe it's been long enough, wouldn't you say, gentlemen?" Aizen stood up and looked at the two men, then over to Kyōka Suigetsu, who was now sat in a chair, swinging her legs back and forth as she observed in silence.

"Ooh, you don't mean…?" Gin asked, suddenly becoming excited. "Yes, I do believe that would be a good thing to start now. A little bit of grief and desperation, and he'll come right to you. I've made sure of that!"

"As you wish, sir. I have been curious to know when you'd begin this phase of the operation. It's been a long time coming," Kaname muttered.

"Very well, we'll begin phase three as soon as possible… In just a few short days, Ichigo Kurosaki will know just how helpless he is. Come along, Kyōka Suigetsu, we have work to do," Aizen waved as he began to climb up the staircase.

"Yes, Master…" Kyōka Suigetsu stood up and followed her Master up the stairwell towards the exit.

* * *

"Alright, that's enough for now, you guys… Come here, I have something I need to tell you," Isshin said as he sheathed his Zanpakutō and beckoned all of Ichigo's friends to him.

"What's up, Isshin?" Tatsuki asked, returning to her body.

"It's about what you've all been working towards for the past year," Isshin began as he sat down with everyone.

"Do you think we're ready to go to the Soul Society?" Michiru asked, feeling hopeful.

"Yes, I've had a chat with Ryūken, and we both believe that you're all ready for the journey to the Soul Society," Isshin nodded, an excited uproar interrupting him. "Hold on, I'm not finished! Now, when we arrive, I'm not exactly sure where we'll end up. We could end up in the Seireitei, or we could end up in the Rukon District, it's really hit and miss. Just, whatever you do, as you're passing through the Dangai, keep your head forward, and do not stop running, lest you wish to be devoured by 'The Cleaner'."

"Yeah, we know all this already. This is the fourth time this week you've told us," Tatsuki waved a hand dismissively.

"I want to make sure you kids understand just how dangerous this is going to be. The moment we enter the Soul Society, we'll be considered 'Ryoka' and all of us will be marked for death by the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," Isshin stressed the last part, hoping everyone will understand the gravity of the situation.

"What about Karin and Yuzu? I haven't seen them in a while," Orihime spoke up, raising her hand as if she were in a classroom.

"Argh, dammit Isshin! I swear to God, if you forgot to speak to them about this, I'll–!" Tatsuki yelled, clenching her fist in anger.

"No, I did," Isshin stated, which silenced Tatsuki. "I spoke to my girls, and they want no part of this. They seem to think I'm making this all up, some sort of sick way of trying to comfort them."

"Didn't you show them your Soul Reaper form?" Chad asked.

"I did, but since Yuzu cannot see spirits, and Karin has been in denial about being able to see them, that didn't work," Isshin sighed.

"So, what are you going to do? You can't just leave them alone while you go to the Soul Society…" Mahana looked at Isshin.

"No, I'm not… Fortunately, I won't have to. Ryūken has offered to look after them while I'm away. I don't know what's made him so charitable all of the sudden, but I'm not going to say no to his offer," Isshin shrugged.

"Alright, so when do we go?" Ryō asked the question everyone wanted to know.

"Considering it's been more than twenty years since I've been to the Soul Society, it's possible my Zanpakutō won't be able to open the Senkaimon as easily as I'd like. It might take a bit of time, so give me three days, and we'll go from there, ok?" Isshin looked at the group of schoolkids, who all nodded.

"Alright, we'll all meet back here in three days' time," Tatsuki said, getting a nod of agreement from everyone.

* * *

"Alright, so who's gonna do this?" Grimmjow asked, looking at the other Espada.

"We thought this would be something that you'd like to do," Murciélago said, getting a nod from Ulquiorra.

"Yeah, we thought you'd be the best for this, Grimmjow," Pantera grinned, punching Grimmjow in the arm.

"Heh, alright then… Let's do this!" Grimmjow growled as he marched around the corner and found his prey all alone. "Hey, asshole! Come here, I wanna talk to you!"

"What do you want, Grimmjow?" Tesla sighed, watching the Sexta Espada approach him.

As soon as Grimmjow was close to Tesla, he lashed out, punching the Fracción in the stomach, before grabbing him by the neck and slamming him into the wall, cracking it slightly.

"Where is your cunt of a Master?!" Grimmjow spat, glaring into Tesla's eye.

"How dare you speak of Master Nnoitra in that way!" Tesla replied, struggling to speak from the sneak attack.

"Get fucked, I asked you where he is!" Grimmjow shouted, smashing his head into Tesla's nose, breaking it.

Tesla cried out in pain, but Grimmjow didn't stop there. He flung him over his shoulder and smashed him into the ground before climbing on top of him as he started to punch Tesla.

The strikes were hard and precise, each blow was decisive and clinical, inflicting maximum damage on the Arrancar, who could do nothing to stop the assault from the maniacal Espada.

"WHERE IS HE?! TALK, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" Grimmjow roared as he kept punching Tesla.

"That idiot! How the hell can he expect that little twat to say anything if he keeps punching him in the face?!" Pantera growled, as she and the others watched Grimmjow continue to punch Tesla.

"Just hold on, Pantera… Give Grimmjow a chance," Ulquiorra whispered, his eyes not leaving Grimmjow.

After another solid minute of Grimmjow assaulting Tesla, he suddenly stopped, his fists dripping with sweat and blood. Still sat on top of him in order to stop him from fleeing, Grimmjow grabbed Tesla by his hair and pulled him close to his face.

"I won't ask again. Where. Is. Nnoitra?" Grimmjow hissed, his words dripping with venom.

"I… I don't know!" Tesla whimpered. "Master Nnoitra leaves his palace every day at this hour and doesn't return for at least three hours! I don't know where he goes, and he tells me nothing!"

"That son of a bitch… How long has he been gone for?" Grimmjow snapped, demanding an answer immediately.

"About an hour! You better watch yourself, Sexta! Once Master Nnoitra finds out about this, he'll have your head!" Tesla growled, trying to act brave.

Grimmjow simply laughed before he smashed the back of Tesla's head into the ground, cracking the floor and knocking the Arrancar out cold. A small pool of blood began to form on the floor where Tesla's head had hit in.

"Get fucked, you little prick. The only one who is gonna lose their head is your piece of shit Master," Grimmjow whispered, standing up and walking back to the other Espada.

"I'm impressed, Grimmjow. You showed actual restraint for once. Nel would be impressed," Pantera smirked as Grimmjow returned.

"Tch, whatever. That little asswipe says Nnoitra leaves his palace every day at this time for about three hours. He's been gone an hour already," Grimmjow muttered.

"Alright, then we have to hurry. No doubt he's with Cirucci right now. The sooner we find something, the sooner we can save her," Halibel commented, marching down the hall towards Nnoitra's room.

"Master Tiburón, where is Golondrina?" Murciélago asked, looking at Halibel's Zanpakutō Spirit.

"Halibel decided it was safer for her if she remained with Apacci and the other girls. Though, I don't know if 'safe' is the right word when it comes to those three and their Zanpakutō Spirits," Tiburón sighed, knowing that the six girls would no doubt be fighting over something stupid by now.

"Murciélago, save the chit-chat for later. We have a job to do," Ulquiorra scolded his Zanpakutō Spirit.

"Apologies, Master Ulquiorra, I was merely curious," Murciélago bowed in apology.

Ulquiorra said nothing further as he followed Halibel and marched down the hall into Nnoitra's palace, the rest of the group following him.

Once everyone was inside Nnoitra's room, they all began searching for any clues that might help them prove Nnoitra knew where Cirucci was. They spent a good half hour searching, before Grimmjow found something interesting under the Quinto's bed.

"Hey, what's this?" Grimmjow muttered as he grabbed the object and looked at it, and subsequently burst into a fit of laughter.

"What are you laughing at, you moron?" Pantera snapped, looking at her Master with annoyance.

"Look…! Nnoitra has…" Grimmjow tried to say through his laughter before stopping and taking a deep breath. "Nnoitra has a diary!"

"What?! Nooooo waaaaay! Give it here!" Pantera cried in amused disbelief as she ran over to try and grab the diary.

"Hey! Fuck off! I found it, which means I get to be the first one to read it!" Grimmjow snapped, holding the diary up in the air, out of his Zanpakutō Spirit's reach.

"C'mon, Grimmjow! Now's not the time to be an asshole! Nnoitra could return any minute, who knows if Tesla was telling the truth?" Pantera growled.

"Pantera is right, Grimmjow. It's very possible Tesla was providing you with false information," Ulquiorra stated, getting nods from Halibel, Tiburón, and Murciélago.

"Goddamn it, fine. I'll see if this has anything in it that'll help. Keep searching, dickheads!" Grimmjow snapped, earning glares from everyone but Ulquiorra, who remained expressionless.

As Grimmjow began to flick through Nnoitra's diary, the rest of the Espada kept searching his room. They all looked high and low, hoping to find something else, anything that might tell them where Cirucci was.

"Hey, guys… I think I've got something!" Tiburón yelled from Nnoitra's closet.

"Piss off, Fish-Boy! I've found something more important! That cunt _does_ know where Cirucci is!" Grimmjow roared, throwing the diary against the far wall.

"Grow up, Grimmjow…" Ulquiorra muttered as he went to retrieve the diary and began to read it.

 _Those fucking assholes! Always sticking their noses in on business that doesn't concern them. I'll kill them all! But I'll still have the last laugh. No matter what they do, they'll never find that Privaron slut Cirucci. I've made doubly sure of that, especially now I've gotten rid of that disgusting Zanpakutō Spirit of mine. I can't fucking believe it! My Zanpakutō Spirit, a fucking woman?! I might not be the only one who knows where Cirucci is, but they're not going to say anything. I'll make sure of that…_

"Wow… And I thought Yammy was stupid. I can't believe he's written all this in a fucking diary. It's like he _wanted_ us to find it," Grimmjow yelled.

"What if he did want us to find it?" Murciélago asked, getting everyone's attention.

"What do you mean?" Halibel asked.

"Think about it. Nnoitra knows we're onto him. He knows we'll stop at nothing to find Cirucci. Well, Grimmjow won't," Murciélago stated.

"You fucking got that right, Bat-Boy!" Grimmjow snorted, getting a smack on the head from Pantera.

"Anyway… My point is, what if he knew we'd try and search his room? It wasn't exactly well hidden, and he's mentioned another Arrancar knows where Cirucci is. What if this was all an attempt to throw us off his scent, perhaps believing we'd go look for this other Arrancar, which could be nothing more than a red herring?" Murciélago explained, getting nods of agreement from Halibel and Ulquiorra.

"Murciélago is right… This all seems too… Perfect. Tesla giving us the information we need to be able to search his Master's room, finding this diary in an obvious location with so much intel in it. If it were anyone else, I'd say his attempts to throw people off his trail would have worked. I don't believe this is what we're looking for," Halibel shook her head in disappointment.

"Master, I believe I have found something we're looking for," Tiburón spoke up as he reappeared from Nnoitra's closet with something, and upon looking at it Ulquiorra was astounded. He was looking at…

"THAT'S CIRUCCI'S ZANPAKUTŌ!" Grimmjow roared in anger. "I FUCKING KNEW HE WAS THE ONE BEHIND IT ALL!"

"Hmm, Nnoitra must have taken Cirucci's Zanpakutō from her as a means to stop her from fighting back. Privaron or not, everyone in Las Noches would be able to sense an Espada releasing their Zanpakutō," Ulquiorra commented, looking at the Zanpakutō with intrigue.

"But why keep it? Why not toss it into the desert like he did to Nelliel?" Murciélago asked.

"Simple… Barragan," Ulquiorra responded.

"Huh? What's that old sack of shit got to do with this?" Grimmjow yelled.

"Think, Grimmjow… Nnoitra has already been warned by Barragan that his actions are an affront to Lord Aizen. From his 'throne' in the desert of Hueco Mundo, Barragan claims to be able to see everything that happens under its moonlit skies. If Nnoitra were to have dumped Cirucci's Zanpakutō in the desert, Barragan would have found out and come to punish him for his actions," Halibel stated, getting a nod from Ulquiorra.

"What are we going to do about Nnoitra? When he finds that Zanpakutō missing, he'll know we did it," Pantera pointed out, getting a shrug from Halibel.

"It matters not. If Nnoitra comes to us, that'll prove he knew about the Zanpakutō, which could ultimately rule out the possibility of there being someone else involved, who could have planted it there in an attempt to frame him," Halibel explained.

"But we know he's responsible!" Pantera shouted.

"No… We don't," Grimmjow suddenly spoke, surprising everyone.

"The fuck are you talking about?" Pantera growled.

"We cannot truly _know_ anything… We can only suspect," Grimmjow muttered, getting an impressed nod from Ulquiorra.

"I see you are paying attention to what's in that book. Well done," Ulquiorra praised, albeit with absolutely no emotion.

"Don't patronise me, dickhead. I understand that shit well enough!" Grimmjow snapped.

"Right, so what do we do now then, Master?" Tiburón asked, looking at Halibel.

"Ulquiorra?" Halibel looked over to the pale Espada, who nodded.

"For now, we take the Zanpakutō and keep a hold of it. Act like we know nothing, and if Nnoitra comes to us, we know he's hiding something. As it stands, the ball is in Nnoitra's court," Ulquiorra responded.

"Wait, Nnoitra's a judge?" Grimmjow asked, causing everyone to look at Grimmjow with a raised eyebrow.

"Not a court of law, you retard! A tennis court!" Pantera shouted.

"Fuck off! I knew that…" Grimmjow scoffed before snatching Cirucci's Zanpakutō from Tiburón. "This is coming with me!"

Everyone merely shrugged as Grimmjow stormed off with Cirucci's Zanpakutō. Each one of them had intended on letting Grimmjow take it anyway.

* * *

A week after Gin had gone to see Ichigo at Squad Thirteen, Ichigo was now beginning to see just how little the other Soul Reapers trusted him. Using his skills that he picked up in charge of Squad Two for the past decade, he'd be able to hide in the shadows and overhear what others were saying. He'd usually hear other Soul Reapers expressing their distrust because of how his Zanpakutō Spirit looked like a Hollow, and how Zangetsu had caused so much chaos in the short time he'd been free.

Ichigo simply chose to ignore it, but it still annoyed him. These Soul Reapers were insignificant, unseated members of a Squad. Their thoughts and opinions meant nothing to him. The Captains and Lieutenants, however, were another matter entirely.

After Gin told him who did and didn't trust him, Ichigo decided to test Gin's claims, and the mischievous Squad Three Captain was spot-on. Just by speaking to the other Captains and Lieutenants, Ichigo could see who did and didn't trust him.

Fortunately, it seemed that Captain Kyōraku did in fact trust him. If he didn't, then the Squad Eight Captain was _very_ good at hiding it, but Ichigo was silently confident that Shunsui did trust him and consider him to be an ally.

Another Captain who trusted him was Captain Unohana, but that came as no surprise to Ichigo. He had created a close relationship with the Squad Four Captain, and her relationship with Isshin more than twenty years ago helped cement her trust in Ichigo. She told Ichigo that the appearance of a Zanpakutō Spirit doesn't reflect that of the Soul Reaper it belongs to. Ichigo felt like she was just trying to make him feel better, but he didn't say anything about it.

One Captain Ichigo felt sure of having a disposition of trust towards him would have been Captain Ukitake. Despite his failing health, Ichigo strongly believed the gentle Captain would have considered him a friend and ally, regardless of his Zanpakutō Spirit.

This was one of the reasons why Ichigo would frequently visit Captain Ukitake, the other being the fact he had been selected to stand in for Jūshirō, so Ichigo felt it would be appropriate to visit the man at Squad Four and keep him up to date with the affairs of his beloved Squad Thirteen.

Ichigo was in Captain Ukitake's room when he heard commotion outside. A bunch of Squad Four Members were rushing about, shouting at each other. It seemed someone had just been admitted. From his seat next to Ukitake's bed, he heard Lieutenant Kotetsu and Third Seat Iemura talking to someone, someone who Ichigo never expected to be there.

"Lieutenant, what happened?" Isane asked.

"I… I don't know! She returned to the Soul Society a few days ago after being sent to the World of the Living on a mission and she hasn't been well since. I went to her office to check on her and I found her on the floor," The Lieutenant cried, clearly shaken up.

' _Hold on, that's Rangiku… What happened?'_ Ichigo stood up and went to see what was going on, before he heard the doors to Squad Four open and another familiar voice shouted out.

"Where is she?! Where is my wife?!" The voice shouted, sounding panicked.

"Lieutenant Shiba, please take hold of yourself. Captain Shiba has been taken to the Emergency Room where Captain Unohana is doing everything she can to help her," Third Seat Iemura responded, trying to calm Kaien down.

"Hey, what's going on? What's wrong with Miyako?" Ichigo asked as he left Captain Ukitake's room and joined the other officers out in the hall.

"I don't know, Ichigo. She hasn't been well since she returned from the World of the Living a few days ago. I thought she had just over-exerted herself, but that doesn't seem to be the case now…" Kaien muttered, trying to keep calm.

"Please, all of you just take a seat. Captain Unohana will do everything in her power to help Captain Shiba. She's the best Medic in the Soul Society," Isane said, doing her best to reassure all three officers.

Before they could take a seat, however, they saw Captain Unohana leave the Emergency Room and walk down the hall towards them. There was blood on her hands, and she wasn't smiling like she usually did.

"No…" Kaien gasped, looking at the Squad Four Captain.

"Kaien, I'm so sorry… There was nothing that could be done for her," Unohana muttered.

"You mean the Captain is…?" Rangiku asked, holding a hand over her mouth and letting a tear run down her cheek.

"Yes. Captain Miyako Shiba has died."

* * *

 **A/N; I'm baaaaack! Thought you had seen the last of me? Never. Not until I have fully finished this story will I ever go away.**

 **Ok, I'm gonna get right down to it; first off I want to thank each and every one of you who has sent me messages and left reviews of support in the time that I have been gone. I am blown away by how kind you all are, and you all humble me. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart.**

 **Since it's been over a year since I've updated this Fanfic, I did kind of lose direction, so this Chapter's quality might not be as good as the others. Speaking of, I read all of it to hopefully jog my memory, and WOW! The amount of spelling/grammatical errors I found were staggering. I can't believe there were so many. I'll probably go back and edit those later on.**

 **As for this Chapter, I wonder if you've noticed I've adopted a new writing style? Go take a look at the previous ones and see if you can tell? I hope you like this way better, as it's kinda more correct grammatically. As for content, while I forgot the direction of things, I still knew where I wanted to go with it. Some ideas were new, but the overall direction is the same. Unfortunately, the opening was basically 'write and see what I come up with', which isn't the best way to go, so I apologise for the poor beginning.**

 **As for the rest of the story, I'll be focussing on my Bleach Fanfic now, and leaving my Fairy Tail one for later. I was smart enough to take notes on the direction I wanted that story to go, so when I come back to it, I won't have forgotten everything.**

 **Right, well that's it. Feel free to leave a review; you know the deal – just don't be a dick.**

 **I hope to see you all again soon.**

 **I've missed you guys.**

 **Pastasaurus away!**


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